The Game
by Mulderette
Summary: Callen and the team are kidnapped and forced to become participants in a deadly game. ***Contains spoilers for end of Season 8 ***
1. Chapter 1

_*I've had this story in my head for a while now and finally decided to move along with it. FTS has been harder to focus on these days and I need something new and different to work on as well. Just a warning, this probably won't be the most realistic of stories, but I really want to do it so we'll just see how it goes. Thanks for reading :)_

xxxxx

The man smiled as he watched Callen and his team enter the warehouse through the screens of the video surveillance system. They were so predictable. Setting this up had been like child's play. He truly hoped they would prove to be more of a challenge once he had them all in his custody. If not, it would be a huge disappointment. He turned to the tall, burly man standing beside him. He had a menacing expression on his face and wasn't the sort of person you'd ever want to meet alone in an alley. He was the leader of a cold-blooded group of mercenaries, perfect for what he'd hired them for. "Take them down, Burke," he growled.

Burke smiled in evil delight and went to gather the rest of the crew together. This was going to be fun.

xxxxx

Burke decided to go for the woman. Their targets were largely outnumbered so he knew none of the team members would be too difficult to capture. He beckoned his partner and they crept towards Kensi, who was stealthily moving away from them. He clasped his beefy hand over her mouth and smirked as she futilely struggled to escape his grasp. His partner then injected the contents of a syringe into her arm. In only moments, her body went limp. As they dragged Kensi away, Burke couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. They had been given strict orders not to harm any of the agents unless absolutely necessary, but he couldn't help but hope he'd be given the chance to bestow his considerable charms on this woman in the near future.

xxxxx

Deeks was next. He was slowly moving toward the east end of the warehouse, as he searched for the suspects they were there to apprehend. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow approaching and swiftly turned in that direction, but two other men quickly arrived to aid the other assailant. Deeks struggled and tried to kick his attackers, but was quickly and efficiently taken down. Once he had succumbed to the drug, two of the men dragged him off.

xxxxx

Sam and Callen separated, going to the north and south ends of the warehouse respectively. One of the men stalking Sam decided to take no chances and hit him over the head with a pistol causing him to heavily fall to the floor, unconscious. They then injected him with the same drug they had used on Kensi and Deeks and left him on the floor, as bait for his partner.

xxxxx

Callen looked around the south end of the warehouse but found no one. He then headed back to where Sam was supposed to be. When he saw his partner lying on the floor he ran over to him and knelt by his side, immediately noting the blood on his head. "Sam? Sam, can you hear me? Come on, wake up." He was about to call for an ambulance when his arms were grabbed by men on either side of him and he was yanked up off the floor. He twisted ferociously to escape their grip, but it was to no avail. He felt a burning pain in his right arm and unable to resist the strong drug entering his system, he lapsed into unconsciousness.

xxxxx

"Why wasn't I informed of this before now?" Hetty barked into the phone. "I should have been notified the instant he escaped from the infirmary. Not to mention, I'd like to know how such a thing happened. You'd better find him and find him quickly." Hetty slammed the phone down and turned towards Eric and Nell. "Call Mr. Callen and put him on speaker phone, immediately."

Eric did as Hetty requested and then turned toward her with a worried look on his face. "He's not answering, Hetty."

"Try Mr. Hanna then," Hetty said.

Once again, Eric did as Hetty asked then shook his head. "Sorry, Hetty, I can't get Sam either."

"Mr. Deeks? Miss Blye? Surely you can reach one of them," Hetty said, a knot beginning to form in the pit of her stomach.

Eric dialed Kensi's number while Nell tried Deeks. Both attempts were unsuccessful.

"Are they still at the warehouse?" Hetty asked, her concern growing more and more by the second.

"Their phones are there," Eric said. "But…"

"But what, Eric?" Hetty asked, her impatience very evident.

"The phones are all bunched up, almost like they've been tossed together somewhere. He quickly started pressing keys on his computer keyboard but looked discouraged as he did so. "I can't get into whatever kind of surveillance system is in the warehouse," he said. "There's some kind of a firewall blocking me. It may take some time to hack into it, and there aren't any traffic cameras in this area."

Hetty shook her head. "We don't have time for this. The two of you are coming with me. We're going to go check out the warehouse ourselves."

xxxxx

Deeks was the first one to come to. He felt himself being bounced around on what felt like a very bad road and he struggled to open his eyes. At first, his vision was blurred and he blinked a few times to clear it. Once he could see more clearly, he saw that he was in the back of a truck, which was dimly lit by a portable LED light attached to the wall. His hands were tightly handcuffed behind his back and his feet were tightly bound. His three teammates were all cuffed and bound in the same way and all seemed to be unconscious. He turned his attention to Kensi first. "Kensi?" he called softly. "Come on, sweetheart, can you wake up for me?" He had no luck awakening her, but Sam started to stir.

"Oooh," Sam groaned softly. He tried to raise his hand to his head and realized he was handcuffed. "Damn…what the heck hit me?"

"They hit you?" Deeks asked. "They injected me with some kind of drug, I guess just to knock me out. At least I hope that's all it was."

"I think they drugged me too," Sam said, focusing his vision on Deeks. "My arm is sore and I feel kind of loopy." He looked at his partner who appeared to be out cold. "Hey, G? Can you hear me? Come on, buddy, wake up."

"Sam? Did you see who did this?" Deeks asked. "I saw them, but I didn't recognize them. Big guys, obviously professionals."

At that moment, Kensi began to stir. Deeks looked at her in relief. "Kens? Hey baby, are you okay?"

"I feel kind of nauseous," Kensi said as she finally managed to open her eyes and looked back at Deeks. "Where are we? Are you okay?"

Deeks nodded. "I'm fine baby. As to where we are? Your guess is as good as mine," he said. "I guess you didn't recognize anyone either?"

"No…" She looked back at Deeks and then at Sam, obviously worried. "This is really bad…" Her eyes then settled on Callen. "How long have we been out?" she asked.

"No idea," Sam replied, turning his attention back to his partner. "G? Come on, wake up." His partner remained still and Sam couldn't help but be concerned that he was still unconscious. "G, wake up," he repeated, more loudly this time.

The three agents all focused their attention on Callen, watching him closely. After about five more minutes, they breathed a collective sigh of relief when he finally showed signs of coming around.

"G? Can you hear me?" Sam asked again. "WAKE UP!"

Callen nodded his head as he struggled to fully awaken. He felt very woozy and was having a difficult time fully escaping the effects of whatever he'd been drugged with. He started to fall back asleep, but was jarred out of the woozy feeling when Sam practically yelled at him to wake up.

Kensi and Deeks exchanged a look when Sam screamed. "Calm down, man," Deeks said

"I'm awake," Callen said, his voice slightly slurred as he finally opened his eyes, feeling a little bit dizzy and off kilter as he did so. Once he had regained his equilibrium, he looked at his teammates, alarmed as he began to comprehend their situation. "Where are we? What happened?"

"We were hoping you could tell us," Sam said, still feeling a bit worried about his partner. "Are you okay?"

Callen nodded. "Last thing I remember was finding you, unconscious in the warehouse. I think I should be asking you if you're okay. I was about to call an ambulance."

"I'm fine, G," Sam said. "I've got a hard head."

"Are you two alright?" Callen asked, turning to Kensi and Deeks.

"We're okay," Kensi answered as Deeks nodded in agreement.

"I wonder what this is about," Callen mused as he tested the handcuffs, in an attempt to try to get out of them. They were very tight though and he didn't have anything with him that would be useful in unlocking them.

At that point, the four agents all lapsed into silence, all of them extremely worried and tense about what this was all about and exactly where they were going. One thing they were pretty sure of…they were in a whole world of trouble...


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you so much for the nice response to the beginning of this story. This chapter is a bit slow. I'm still debating one of the major plot points, but there will be some answers in the next chapter._

xxxxx

"So, does anyone have any suggestions?" Callen asked after about 10 minutes of silence. He was continuing to struggle with the handcuffs to no avail.

"Not much we can do…not the way they have us secured. They made sure we wouldn't be able to get out of these cuffs," Sam said, observing Callen's attempts to get loose "You should save your energy, G. You're just going to mess up your wrists. Deeks is right that these guys are professionals. You won't be able to free yourself."

Callen finally stopped. "I wish we knew what this was about."

"It could be almost anything," Deeks said. "Look how many people we've brought down as a team."

Sam nodded. "Though I do wonder if whoever this is has a grudge against all of us or only one or two of us," he said musingly. "Some of us could be collateral…"

"That's not a very comforting thought," Kensi said, giving Sam a worried look. "I wonder where they're taking us."

"No way of knowing that…" Deeks said, "But I have a good feeling we're going to get out of whatever this is…"

"I really wish I shared your good feeling, Deeks," Callen said, grimly. Without thinking, he went back to trying to escape the handcuffs.

"G…" Sam said quietly.

"Sorry." Once again, Callen ceased his escape attempts. "This is just making me nuts," he admitted with a sigh.

"I know it is," Sam said, "but for right now, we just need to keep as calm as we can. We need to keep our wits about us until we find out what's going on."

"I wonder how long we've been in here," Deeks said. "There's no way we can even estimate since we don't know how long we were knocked out for."

"I guess we can speculate all we want," Sam stated, "But until this truck stops and someone opens up that door, it's all just guesswork…"

xxxxx

When Hetty, Eric and Nell reached the warehouse, they found Sam's Challenger and Deeks' and Kensi's vehicle parked outside. Nothing seemed to be amiss with either of them. "I guess maybe we should go inside?" Nell questioned, not looking like she particularly wanted to.

Hetty nodded. "Let's go." The three entered the warehouse and slowly began to make their way through it, searching for any clues as to what could have happened to the team. Nothing at all seemed amiss until they reached the location of the cell phones. All four of them had been tossed into a metal trash can. "Not good," Eric commented, looking extremely worried.

"No. This isn't good at all," Hetty replied. "I don't understand what could have happened. We need to see if there is any kind of a surveillance system here."

After performing a thorough search of the warehouse and coming up empty, they reached a locked office. Hetty picked the lock and they went inside. There, they found a computer as well as monitors which looked like a security system. "Eric?" Hetty said.

Eric sat down at the computer and immediately went to work as Hetty and Nell anxiously looked on. He began to rewind through the video footage and stopped when he reached the section which showed Callen as he was grabbed and then drugged. He continued on as one by one, they watched what happened to Sam, Deeks and Kensi.

"Eric…is there any footage showing the outside of the warehouse?" Hetty asked, her voice calm and steady, the direct opposite of what she was feeling inside. Each time she had seen one of the team members go down, she had felt more and more sickened. "Perhaps we can see the vehicle they used to transport them in?"

Eric shook his head as he searched the system. "There are outside cameras, but…I don't see any vehicles. I think they somehow got rid of the footage, but I don't understand why they didn't wipe all of it."

"Do you think they wanted us to see what happened?" Nell asked.

"Perhaps so," said Hetty. "Unfortunately, we don't appear to have any clues as to who may have done this." She refused to think the earlier phone call was a part of this. How could it be? It just didn't seem possible to her.

"I'm sorry, Hetty," Eric said, giving her an apologetic look. "As of right now, we don't. Maybe we can come up with something back in Ops."

Hetty nodded, but her hopes of that happening weren't very high at all.

xxxxx

After possibly another hour or so, the truck jerked to a stop. The four teammates immediately went on alert, all their senses heightened.

"Everyone keep cool," Sam said, his eyes focused on the truck's door.

Callen took a deep breath and slowly exhaled as he tried to slow his heartbeat, which had begun to increase, while Deeks and Kensi exchanged a meaningful look.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the door slowly began to open. When it was fully raised, four men stood behind it, Burke and three other men behind him. Burke climbed up into the truck and faced the agents. "I don't want any funny business from any of you. Keep your mouths shut and do as I say and we'll all get along just fine." He then turned back to the men outside the truck. "Untie their feet and bring them to the helicopter."

Callen looked at Sam, his eyes alarmed. "A helicopter?" he asked, turning his head toward Burke. "Where are you taking us?"

"Mistake number one, Agent Callen," Burke said. "My boss won't be impressed if you keep this up. I do believe I told you to keep your mouths shut." He walked over to Kensi and punched her hard, on the left side of her face, causing her to cry out. "Sorry, doll face. You can blame your team leader for that one." Burke then turned back to the team. "So, now you see that disobedience has consequences. If one of you disobeys the rules, someone else will pay for it. So, unless you have a grudge against the other members of your team, I suggest you do as I say."

Callen gave Kensi a stricken look, and silently mouthed that he was sorry. Kensi mouthed back that she was okay. By now, the other men had entered the truck and were working on untying the team's feet. When that was done, they were roughly yanked into standing positions and pushed out of the truck, onto the ground. Once they were outside, they could see that they were in a very remote area. It appeared to be a deserted airstrip with an old building, which was obviously abandoned. It was in need of repairs and all the windows were boarded up. There was a black van, with a number of armed men outside of it, parked not too far from the truck. Up ahead, there was a large helicopter, which looked like a military aircraft.

"Damn…this isn't good," Sam murmured under his breath. Although his voice was barely above a whisper, Burke still heard Sam speak.

"Eenie…meenie…miney…mo…" Burke said slowly before he expertly aimed a vicious liver punch at Callen, causing him to double over in pain. I'm sure your partner appreciated that, Agent Hanna," Burke said with a sneer. "You appear to be slow learners, not a trait I would have expected from federal agents, especially with all I've heard about your team. I wonder how bad the punishments will need to get before you figure out that this isn't a game…the game hasn't even started yet…"

Sam cast an apologetic look in his partner's direction, but Callen didn't look back at him. He couldn't believe he had been so stupid as to speak. These guys obviously meant business. He didn't know what he had been thinking…well, he hadn't been thinking. He couldn't help but wonder who it was they were working for. It had to be someone with money and power and someone with a very big grudge against them. One thing was certain, he was going to have to be a hell of a lot more careful. Every move they made had the potential to cause dire consequences to members of the team.

Callen didn't hear a word Burke said. He was too busy trying to catch his breath and was barely able to keep from falling to the ground as he tried not to focus on the excruciating pain he was feeling.

Deeks looked at Callen sympathetically as he wondered what the hell this guy was talking about. A game? He was starting to think they were dealing with some kind of a psychopath. Any earlier optimism he had felt that they were going to get out of this was diminishing quickly. He glanced at Kensi and noted the redness of her cheek. That was definitely going to bruise. He hated that he couldn't comfort her in some way. He wished he could put his arm around her or hold her hand. He had to admit that such a gesture would be comforting to him as it well.

The team arrived at the helicopter and were harshly pulled onboard, then shoved onto the seats running along both sides of the aircraft. Callen and Deeks were on one side with Sam and Kensi facing them on the opposite side. They had been seated in the middle of the aircraft and, as the other men came aboard, they seated themselves on either side of the two pairs. "Same rules apply," Burke snarled at them. He then turned towards the other men. "If anyone hears a peep out of them, you know what to do." The 12 men nodded, some of them smirking or glaring at the captives, but most of them were stone-faced and seemed focused on whatever their mission was. Burke then walked up to the cockpit and called out that they were ready for takeoff. He buckled himself in and a few minutes later, the helicopter began its ascent.

As the helicopter rose up into the air, Deeks flashed a reassuring smile at Kensi who managed to smile weakly back at him. Kensi's smile didn't reflect in her eyes, however, and Deeks knew how anxious she was, although he also knew she would never show it. He wished they were seated beside each other, but was pretty sure they had been deliberately separated. It seemed like every move being made was well thought out and calculated.

Sam was seated somewhat awkwardly. With his hands cuffed behind him and being larger than his teammates, the seat didn't really accommodate him adequately. He needed to shift so that he was sitting more sideways than backed up into the seat. It wasn't very comfortable and he anticipated being tossed to the floor if they ran into any turbulence, since none of them were buckled into their seats. Once again he tried to catch his partner's eye, just to ensure himself that G was okay, but Callen seemed to be off in his own little world.

Ever since the hard punch he'd taken, Callen had been focused on his breathing, trying to normalize it and minimize the pain. Now, finally, the pain was beginning to subside a bit. He knew he was going to be sore the next day and he'd have a hell of a bruise, but he was pretty sure he hadn't sustained any significant injury. He glanced across the helicopter at Sam who was looking back at him anxiously. "Are you okay?" Sam mouthed at him. Callen nodded and he couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable Sam appeared with the way he was sitting. Everything about this situation sucked. There was nothing he hated more than being under someone else's control and they still had no idea who was orchestrating this situation. He wondered if Eric and Nell would be able to track them, but with the way things were progressing, he was relatively sure that steps had been taken to avoid anyone easily finding them.

It was hard to tell how long they were in the air, at least an hour and a half, maybe more, when the helicopter began its downward descent. The four teammates exchanged apprehensive looks as they mentally tried to ready themselves for whatever it was that lay ahead.


	3. Chapter 3

_Sorry it took so long to get this out. I think the writing part of my brain is in summer mode. Thanks so much for all the supportive comments you've been giving me. Can't tell you how much I appreciate them._

xxxxx

The helicopter landed without incident and the team members shared apprehensive looks as they wondered what was going to happen next. Burke unbuckled himself from his seat and directed the men closest to the door to disembark. "Get up and move in single file to the doorway," he said, glaring at the team. "No funny business or you know what'll happen."

The team got to their feet and silently did as they had been ordered, none of them speaking a word. When they got to the ground they looked around in dismay. Wherever they were, it could best be described as being out in the middle of nowhere. At least that was the way it appeared. There was a group of about a dozen tents set up and that was about it. At least that was all that they could see. They stood there and waited in uneasy silence.

Burke went over to the helicopter and yelled in through the open doorway "Everyone's on the ground, boss!"

Moments later, a man, who must have been sitting in the cockpit with the pilot, or perhaps he was the pilot, got off of the helicopter and came over to the captives, a smile on his face. He was an older man, tall and fit-appearing with short grey hair and a hard look about him. "Agent Callen," he said, standing in front of the team leader, still smiling. "At last, we meet again."

Callen frowned as he stared back at the man blankly, not having any clue as to who he was.

"You don't remember me?" the man asked. "Well, I guess I'm not surprised. You were only about 15 when we met and I think it was only twice. You've changed quite a bit as well. I have seen many pictures, but still, it's always good to meet one's prey in person."

Prey? Callen didn't visibly respond to the word, but hearing it made him even more apprehensive. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the man, trying to place him and then, there was a look of recognition as he finally remembered.

"You do remember." The man nodded, seemingly pleased by this development. "Good, good. I was hoping you would."

Callen opened his mouth to speak but then looked at Burke and quickly closed it again, not wanting any of his teammates to suffer from his lapse.

"Please, speak," the man said, chuckling. "You have my permission. No one will be hurt because of it."

"You were a friend of Hetty's. Bartholomew Richards… I remember you being at her house."

"Exactly, but please, I go by Bart now. Bartholomew is far too formal, especially when you've been where I have been for the last 32 years."

"You only came by those two times…"

"Once again, you're correct. I went by many more times before your arrival, but yes, only twice after Henrietta took you in. She was exceedingly fond of you. At the time, it touched my heart, but then later…not so much."

"So this is about me?" Callen asked, looking confused.

"No, no," the man said, shaking his head. "Not really about you, well indirectly it is now, I suppose. This is about Henrietta and the fact that she threw many years of friendship up in my face. She betrayed me, Agent Callen, and now, she has to pay."

Callen nodded slowly. "Okay…I get that you want me for some twisted revenge plot against Hetty, but I don't get why you took my team too."

"Thanks to Henrietta, I've been in prison for a very long time. She obviously never told you what happened to me."

Callen shook his head. In all honestly, he'd never really thought about him after those two visits. There certainly wouldn't have been any reason for Hetty to share Bart's fate. Callen had known very little about her job activities back then.

"Let's just say we had opposing views on the question of arms dealing and she proved to be a much less loyal friend than I ever expected."

Callen smirked. "So, I'm guessing you've been in prison for the last 32 years?"

"Yes, and all those years being cooped up like that gave me lots of time to plan. I had lots and lots of money stashed away and Henrietta was none the wiser. I also had men I trusted who kept me abreast of her goings on. I could have compromised you and your team years ago, but it wouldn't have carried the same kind of satisfaction that this will have."

"And what exactly is **_this_**?" Callen asked.

"A game of sorts," Bart replied with a thin-lipped smile. "I need a challenge and Henrietta needs to pay. By the time this is over with…she'll realize that turning her back on me and putting me behind bars was the biggest mistake she ever made."

The word's chilled Callen to his core. He looked over at his team and from the expressions on their faces, he could see that they also had been affected by the ominous tone of Bart's voice. It was very obvious that this wasn't just an idle threat. This man and his little army needed to be taken very seriously.

"But before I explain further, I think some dinner is in order, after which I will give you all the details you need for our hunt which will start promptly tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. "

"We're going hunting?" Deeks could no longer keep quiet. This guy was a nut job for sure.

Bart turned to face Deeks. "Detective Deeks…I don't recall giving anyone but Agent Callen permission to speak."

Deeks moved so that he was in front of Kensi in an attempt to protect her from further harm. "Sorry," he muttered, not sounding sorry at all.

"Pretty sure we're the ones being hunted in this little scenario, Deeks," Callen said, trying to draw Bart's attention back onto himself.

Bart turned back to Callen, with a smile as he nodded. "Very good. Yes, you and your team are the prey in this hunt, and I anticipate it to be a wonderful challenge. I'm very much looking forward to it. Sometimes, while in prison, I used to take the lives of inmates in various ways, just to see if I could get away with it. I always did…no one ever caught on. It was maddeningly simple. I'm hoping the four of you will prove to be much more stimulating. But for now, this will be your home until tomorrow." He pointed towards a tent. "I'm going to have you uncuffed, but any attempt to escape…well, let's just say it won't be successful and you'll be very, very sorry. You'd be better served to wait for the rules of the game as you will at least have a fighting chance, albeit a small one, to escape unharmed."

Each member of the team was then uncuffed and they were shepherded into the tent with four armed guards standing outside of it, making it very obvious that they were not going to be given an opportunity to escape.

xxxxx

"Do you think we're allowed to talk?" Sam whispered once they were alone inside the tent.

"I guess we'll find out," Callen said.

"This guy's crazy, Callen," Deeks said. "Was Hetty really friends with him?"

Callen shrugged. "I don't know, Deeks," he admitted. "I was a kid. I didn't really pay any mind to the people who came and went. It wasn't like he paid much attention to me."

"You obviously made some kind of impression, G," Sam observed. "He sure didn't forget you."

"I just think he remembered Hetty took in a kid. I doubt it was me personally. I'm just sorry he honed in on the three of you though. He's pretty pissed at Hetty, that's for sure." Callen looked over at Kensi who hadn't said anything. "Kens…are you alright?" he asked. "I'm really sorry you got punched because of me."

Kensi nodded and forced a faint smile. "I'm fine, Callen. Don't worry."

"How about you?" Sam asked his partner. "That guy hit you pretty hard."

"I'm good, Sam," Callen said with a smirk. "You've hit me harder than that before."

"Well, I seriously hope that's not the case, G," Sam said, his eyes filled with guilt and sadness.

"Come on, Sam. It was a joke," Callen said, already regretting his lame attempt to lighten the mood. There was nothing funny about any of this. "I'm alright. We have a lot more serious things to worry about right now."

"Speaking of which, do we have a plan?" Deeks asked, his blue eyes looking very worried.

Callen and Sam exchanged a troubled glance which didn't give Deeks much encouragement. "We need to wait to see what exactly this hunt is," Sam said.

"I think it's pretty self explanatory, isn't it?" asked Deeks. "He's going to send us out into the wilderness and then come after us with his team of goons."

"There's an old short story like this, about a hunt," Callen said. " _The Most Dangerous Game_." I read it in school.

"Yeah, I read it too," Deeks stated. "I just didn't choose to act out parts of the plot after reading it."

"That guy had hounds," Sam said, as he recalled the story. "Scary stuff. Hope this guy doesn't have them."

"The guy in the story didn't have a small army backing him up though," Callen commented.

"You all read this story?" Kensi asked. "I never did."

"If I remember correctly, the guy in that book gave his target a knife. I wonder if he'll let us have weapons," Callen mused.

"He will if he's going to be fair about it," Sam said. "I just don't know if he's going to be all that concerned with giving us a fair shot."

"I doubt it," Deeks said glumly.

"This whole thing is making my stomach sick," Kensi said in dismay. "He…he's going to just hunt us down like animals?"

"Come here, baby," Deeks said. Kensi went to him and he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly against his chest as he stroked her hair.

"I'm scared, Deeks," Kensi whispered softly, but loud enough for them all to hear her.

"I know you are," Deeks said quietly. "I am too."

xxxxx

About a half hour later, Burke came into the tent. "Dinner," he growled nastily at them. "Get your asses out there now. If it was up to me, you wouldn't get a damned thing to eat, but Bart is a humanitarian."

Callen and the others all exchanged glances, but none of them spoke, unsure if the no talking rule was back in effect now that they were out of the tent.

"Come, come and eat!" Bart bellowed gleefully, gesturing them over to where some picnic tables had been set up. The four team members looked at each other uneasily before they sat down at the table with Bart. Food was immediately brought over to them by a man wearing a chef's uniform. He served grilled chicken, potatoes and vegetables. At first, none of them attempted to touch the food. "It would be wise to eat while you can. Who knows when you'll get the chance for a hot meal again. You should fuel up. You're going to need all your energy."

Callen glanced at Sam and then took a forkful of chicken and put it into his mouth. Sam, Kensi and Deeks then started to eat as well.

"So, Agent Callen," Bart asked. "I'm curious. Do you think you need your team for this hunt?"

Callen looked back at Bart warily. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"It's a simple question. Do you need them or would you be better served undertaking it alone?"

"What if I said I didn't need them?" Callen asked, ignoring Sam's whispered "G" in a cautionary tone. "You'd set them free?"

Bart chuckled in amusement. "Oh you don't get to know the answer to that, Agent Callen. "Perhaps I would set them free, but then again, perhaps not. It's not an answer you're going to get."

"Well then, yes, I need my team," Callen said as Sam breathed a sigh of relief beside him. For all he knew, Bart would kill Sam, Kensi and Deeks if he said he didn't need them. He was pretty sure he wasn't going to let them go.

"Too bad," Bart said with a shrug as he began to eat his own dinner. "A one on one challenge might have proven interesting, but my men and I are up for the challenge of your team."

"So care to share the details of this so-called hunt?" Callen asked.

"All in good time," Bart stated. "Eat your meal. It's entirely possible this could be your last supper. Carlos is a very good chef. I suggest you enjoy it. We'll talk afterwards."

Callen sighed softly as he went back to his dinner. Given the situation, he wasn't particularly hungry, but he knew that Bart's words were true. They needed to eat in order to have as much energy as possible to deal with whatever this madman had orchestrated for them.


	4. Chapter 4

_Sorry about the delay between chapters, I won't bore you with the details, but I'll try to do better. Hope you are all enjoying your summer. Thanks for your support, as always :)_

xxxxx

The team ate quietly. The only sound was the occasional utensil hitting a plate. They shot each other numerous looks, none of them looking particularly happy with the situation that they were in, however, each of them did the best they could to eat, knowing the importance of doing so. They finished before Bart did and just sat silently, waiting him out. Finally, their so-called host wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin and put it down on the table. He then looked at each of the team members in turn. "I trust you enjoyed your dinner," he said, a smile touching the corners of his lips.

No one commented or said anything, unsure of what the rules were for conversing with him. "Please, feel free to speak," Bart said. "As this involves all of you, now is the time to do so. I insist on allowing you all to share your opinions."

"Well, my opinion is this whole hunt of yours sucks." Deeks finally made the move to speak first, a challenge in his eyes as he stared back at Bart.

Bart stared back at Deeks, obviously angry. "Watch yourself, Detective…"

"You said to share our opinions," Deeks said. "I just…"

"Deeks," Sam said quietly. "Don't."

"Fine," Deeks relented although obviously reluctant to do so. "How long does this hunt of yours last? Is there some kind of a time limit?"

"Good question, Detective Deeks!" Bart said. "And the answer is…there is no time limit. The hunt ends when you or I end up dead, or if you are able to escape the confines of this area and reach help. Then, of course, you will have achieved your freedom."

"All of us need to be dead?" Kensi asked, trying not to show the increasing horror she was feeling inside about what lay ahead for them. Bart's calm demeanor and obvious enthusiasm for tracking them down and murdering them chilled her to the core.

"Yes, all of you my dear," Bart said, giving Kensi a patronizing smile. "If we only needed to kill one of you, it wouldn't be all that challenging. Bringing down such an accomplished team will be quite a notch on my belt. I will even have a trophy engraved to mark the occasion."

"Are we allowed to have weapons or any way to defend ourselves?" Callen asked.

"Hmm…" Bart said, appearing to mull over the question. "If you were just ordinary civilians with no training, I suppose I'd give you weapons just to give you a fighting chance. However, in this case, I think it would give you too much of an advantage, so the answer is no. You won't be allowed to carry any weapons. There's a whole wide world of natural weapons though. Use your brains. Utilize your training."

"Do we get a head start?" Kensi asked softly, disappointed, but not surprised, to learn they wouldn't be allowed to have weapons.

Bart turned to Kensi with a smile. "Of course you do. What kind of a game would it be if I didn't give you a head start? One hour."

"That's not much time," Sam said, shaking his head in disgust. "You're not giving us much of a chance at all."

"No?" Bart turned to Sam, appearing surprised. "As a Navy Seal, I would think I'm giving you quite an incredible head start, but I'm a fair man and I believe in the art of negotiation. What would you think is a fair head start, Agent Hanna? And I warn you, if you ask for an absurd amount of time, the time I've already given you will be reduced."

Sam sighed and looked to Callen who proved to be no help at all as he shrugged at his partner, leaving the decision up to Sam.

"Three hours," Sam finally said when none of his teammates offered any kind of a suggestion.

"Two hours," Bart stated with a note of finality in his voice. Sam didn't push any more, not wanting to get their allotted amount of time reduced in any way.

"How about this area?" Callen asked, trying to get as much information from Bart as he could get. "Where exactly are we?"

Bart shook his head. "Sorry, Agent Callen. You don't get to know that."

"How far are we from any sort of civilization?" asked Deeks.

"You don't get to know that either," Barks said, smirking at Deeks.

"Is the area booby trapped?" Sam asked, already thinking ahead to what could be waiting for them as they tried to outwit and escape from Bart and his goons. At that, Bart laughed in delight. "I like the way your mind works, Agent Hanna. Go with your gut. There's a good chance you're on the right track." Sam sighed. That pretty much told him there were booby traps in the area. He didn't like this, not one bit.

"Do we get water or food?" Callen asked, unsure of what kind of water sources they would be able to find.

"You will each get one canteen of water. I suggest you use them wisely."

"So you're telling us there's no water around?" Sam asked.

"You're putting words in my mouth, Agent Hanna," Bart said. "I said nothing of the kind. Perhaps there is. Perhaps there isn't."

"What about food?" Callen asked.

"What about it? You just ate and it was quite an impressive meal at that." There was a distinct edge to Bart's voice now and he appeared irritated as he glared at Callen. "You should be grateful for what you got. I'm not providing food for you. If you didn't eat sufficiently, it is your fault, not mine. You'll be allotted a sufficient breakfast in the morning before your starting time."

Bart then turned to Burke. "Take them to their tent. If they cause any trouble, I think bullet holes in their legs will slow them down quite efficiently tomorrow." He then turned back to the team. "I suggest you get some shuteye. I doubt you'll be getting much of a chance to do so once we begin the hunt…unless it's more of a permanent kind of sleep."

xxxxx

"Oh my God…he's certifiable," Kensi said, once they were situated back in their tent. She turned towards Deeks who folded her up in his arms, then rubbed her back with his hand, trying to comfort her.

"We're going to beat him, Kens," Deeks said softly. "You've got to believe that." He then turned and looked over at Callen and Sam. "So…anyone have a plan yet of how we're going to deal with this?"

Callen shook his head and looked at Sam. "You're the one with the military training here, partner," he said. "I'm going to defer to your best judgement on this. What do you think?"

Sam slowly shook his head. "I wish I knew. This guy is crazy like a fox. He knows what he's doing. All I've got right now is we stay together, try to cover our tracks and make some kind of weapons to defend ourselves with."

"Strength in numbers…I guess…" Callen said, not sounding entirely convinced.

"You don't think so?" Sam asked. "Splitting up isn't a good idea, G."

Callen nodded. "I know. I just wonder if we paired off and went in opposite directions…maybe there's a chance two of us would escape."

"I don't think so, G. We're stronger as a team."

Callen sighed. "Yeah, I know. I don't know what I'm thinking, Sam." He couldn't help feeling somewhat guilty about the situation, although he really wasn't sure why.

"You're not thinking this is your fault, are you?" Sam asked, recognizing the telltale look in his partner's eyes. "Come on, G."

"I'm not blaming myself, Sam," Callen said. "I know this isn't my fault…It's not anyone's fault, except Bart's…"

"Do you think Hetty has any idea what's happened?" Kensi asked.

"You can be sure he's going to let her know if he hasn't already," Deeks replied. "He's not doing this just to challenge himself in his sick little hunting game…He's going to want her to know what he's doing."

"Or what he's done…after he's done it," Kensi said, looking uncharacteristically unsettled.

"Come on, guys," Sam said, looking at his two junior team members. "We need to stay positive. We're smart and well-trained. We've got to believe we can defeat this guy at his own game. That's half the battle right there."

"We should try to sleep," Callen said. "Who knows how much of a chance we're going to get to do so after tonight." He looked around the tent and spied some folded up blankets over in the back corner. He picked them up off the ground and handed one to each of his teammates. "It's getting cold." There was also an LED lantern which he turned on at the very lowest setting, casting a dim glow over the inside of the tent.

Deeks and Kensi went over to the right side of the tent and curled up together, then put both of the blankets over them. Callen gingerly lowered himself to a sitting position on the ground with his arm folded over the right side of his abdomen. He tried to be nonchalant about it, but of course Sam noticed. "How bad, G?" Sam asked, a note of concern in his voice as he looked at his partner.

Callen sighed. "I told you already…I'm alright, just sore."

Sam nodded, knowing there wasn't anything he could do anyway, even if Callen was injured. He didn't like the helpless feeling this situation was giving him. "You should try to sleep."

"Right back at you," Callen said as he stretched out on the ground and pulled the blanket over him. "6 a.m. is going to come quickly."

xxxxx

No one slept very soundly that night. Each member of the team dozed sporadically, but none of them got what could be termed restful sleep. Callen had whimpered softly a few times in his sleep, which had done nothing for Sam's ability to settle himself down.

"Can't you sleep?" Deeks whispered over to Sam. He himself had just awoken for what felt like the hundredth time that night and it was only 2 a.m. The ground was hard and uncomfortable and his nerves were on edge. He was extremely worried about all of them, but especially about Kensi. She had gone through so much over the past year. She didn't deserve to go through anymore.

"I've slept some," Sam replied vaguely.

"Guess he's hurting a little bit more than he let on," Deeks commented, his eyes on Callen.

Sam nodded. "Yeah…He'll be okay though." Sam certainly wouldn't mention to his partner that he had exhibited symptoms of pain in his sleep. If he did, he knew Callen wouldn't sleep at all. His stubborn partner would choose to stay awake, not wanting to call attention to the fact that he might be feeling some pain. Sam knew that keeping quiet was the best thing he could do.

"We should try to sleep, Sam," Deeks stated after a few moments of silence.

Sam nodded then closed his eyes, attempting once more to get the rest he knew he needed. "G'nite, Deeks."

"Good night, Sam," Deeks murmured.

xxxxx

At 4:30 am, Callen gave up on trying to sleep and sat up with the blanket still wrapped around him. There was a distinct chill in the air. He wished they had their jackets. He wondered if they'd be able to take the blankets with them. They certainly wouldn't be able to depend on campfires. If they did, they might as well paint giant targets on their backs that said "Here I am, take your shot." He took his hand and gingerly felt along his right side. There was no denying it was painful, but slightly less so than the previous day. He was pretty sure it was just a bad bruise.

"You okay?" Sam's voice was barely above a whisper.

"I'm fine, Sam," Callen whispered back. "I don't want to wake up Kensi and Deeks."

"You don't need to worry about waking me," Deeks said. "I'm been awake since 3:30 or so."

"I'm not sleeping either," Kensi said.

"You think Bart's going to give us a big breakfast like last night's dinner?" Deeks asked.

"I think we're more likely looking at cold oatmeal," Sam said.

"I don't even think I can eat," Kensi said.

"If he offers food, you need to eat," Callen said gently.

"He's right, baby," Deeks said softly.

"I know…" Kensi said.

The team then fell back into silence, each member lost in his or her own thoughts. Then, at 5:30, the tent opening was unzippered and Burke stood in the doorway. "If you want breakfast, get your asses out there and eat it," he snarled.

They went outside and sat at the table. There was no hot food like they had eaten the previous night. There was cold cereal, some fruit, bread and pastry. Bart was not at the table. They ate well as they took in the men guarding the area around them. "You think we're really going to get a two hour head start?" Callen whispered, looking over at Sam.

"I have no idea, G," Sam whispered back. "All I know is we've got to move quickly as we can and watch our backs."

Callen nodded and went back to eating his breakfast.

"You doing okay, angel?" Deeks asked softly, gazing at Kensi.

Kensi forced a smile and put a strawberry in her mouth. "I'm going to be fine," she said, trying to assure Deeks as well as herself.

They continued to eat until Bart came out a short time later. His expression was gleeful as he stood by the table looking down at them. "It's so good to see my prey eating and diligently preparing for the hunt."

"Stop saying that," Kensi snapped, glaring up at him.

"Kens…" Deeks cautioned, taking Kensi's hand.

"Stop saying what, my dear?" Bart asked, looking confused.

"We're not your prey. We're human beings and you're just…"

"Kensi!" Callen said loudly as he shook his head at her. "Don't."

She took a few deep breaths and stared down at the table silently.

"Can we take anything with us?" Callen asked, staring up at Bart, his eyes defiant.

"What is it you want, Agent Callen?" Bart asked. His expression was now cold, his eyes dark and threatening.

"Blankets?" Callen asked.

Bart considered the request. "Fine. You can take blankets and water, but that's it. Go and get them now before I change my mind."

Callen headed to the tent, while his three teammates remained behind.

"I suppose a compass is out of the question," Sam said.

"Don't try my patience, Agent Hanna. I don't think you or your partner will be happy with the results."

"You leave him alone," Sam said, slowly shaking his head, as he narrowed his eyes at Bart. "If you hurt him…"

"Seems I've struck a nerve," Bart observed. "You'd better focus on your plan of escape, Agent Hanna. If you don't keep your eyes on the prize, none of you will last the day."

Callen came back out of the tent, carrying the folded blankets in his arms. It was almost 6 and his heart was beating quickly and erratically. He walked back over to the table and couldn't help but notice the tension in the air. "Everything alright?" he asked quietly.

"We're good, G," Sam stated as he stood up. Kensi and Deeks then followed his example. Burke walked over to the table, carrying canteens which he silently handed to each of the team members.

Bart was staring at his watch, with an almost maniacal expression on his face. Then he began to speak. "Five…four…three…two…one…Let the hunt begin!" he shouted.

Without a moment's hesitation, Callen, Sam, Kensi and Deeks fled into the woods as fast as they could go.


	5. Chapter 5

_Finally got a chance to do some writing this weekend. Thanks for your patience._

xxxxx

Sam stopped short when he saw the trip wire. Deeks, who was right on his heels, almost crashed right into him. "What the hell, man!" he exclaimed.

"Shhh," Sam turned back to Deeks, his finger over his lips. "Trip wire." He took the opportunity to glance at Kensi who seemed fine and Callen who had been clutching his side, but quickly dropped his arm. "Okay, we need to be really careful here, guys. The ground is hard right now so that's to our advantage. Try not to brush up against any leaves. The slightest thing could help them track us, not to mention booby traps like this trip wire. A bunch of sprung traps will be the easiest way to track us."

"Not to mention, dead bodies if the traps are lethal," Callen interjected.

"Yeah, that too," Sam admitted with a reluctant nod.

"Where are we even headed, Sam?" Kensi asked. "What's our plan exactly?"

"Right now, I'm just using the sun to try to keep us going in a straight northerly direction," Sam said. "If we go straight and aren't going around in circles, they won't be catching us any time soon, as long as to they keep to the rules and we get a true head start."

"What if they don't keep to the rules?" Deeks asked the question that was on all of their minds.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Sam said. "But for now, let's keep going. Keep your eyes and ears open. Let's put as much distance as we can between us and them and later we'll stop and try to put together some kind of weapons." With that, Sam started off again, followed by Deeks, then Kensi, with Callen bringing up the rear.

xxxxx

Hetty was beside herself. She was finding it very hard to think of anything else besides the whereabouts of her missing team. So far, there had been no word from anyone. No ransom demands, no notes, no threats…nothing at all. Hetty hated feeling so helpless. Not even her particularly calming blends of tea were helping to deal with these circumstances. Eric and Nell had been working tirelessly to try to find some clue to where the team might be, but so far had not been able to unearth even the tiniest breadcrumb to go by.

"Hetty?" Hetty looked up and was surprised to see Eric and Nell, standing in front of her desk, both looking exceedingly somber. She hadn't even noticed their approach.

"Do you have something, Eric?" Hetty asked, anxiously.

Eric nodded. "We received an email. Inside, it says it's to go to you. There's a video file attached. We haven't looked at it."

"Well, bring it up for me."

Eric came behind Hetty's desk and clicked the keys of her laptop, bringing up the video. From a distance, they could see the team sitting at a table, eating. Whoever was filming them, then zoomed in for a close-up of Kensi's face, showing the very obvious bruising. No one else seemed to be injured in any way, from what Hetty could see, which was a relief. The scene ended abruptly and then the inside of a tent was shown. Moments later, a man stepped into the center of the video and Hetty gasped softly, immediately recognizing Bartholomew. "Oh no…"

"Hetty? Are you alright?" Nell asked softly.

"Yes, yes, dear, I'm fine," Hetty said, managing to give Nell a partially reassuring smile. Nell and Eric exchanged a look, neither of them fooled by Hetty's words.

"So, Henrietta, it's been a long time…a very long time. As you can see, I have your team. At first, I had considered only abducting Agent Callen, knowing how much he meant to you when you took him in as a boy, but then I was able to learn, through various anonymous sources, how much the others mean to you as well. What better way to get revenge, I thought to myself, then to take away the people who mean the most to you? When you arrested me and turned me in 32 years ago, I vowed vengeance on you and this is the beginning of my plan. When I'm through with your team, you're going to be very, very sorry that you showed such disloyalty and turned your back on me. Don't even try to trace this. I flew one of my men away from this site and he was able to send a message from an Internet café. There will be no way of finding out where I am, no way at all for you to find your beloved team. And now until I contact you again, pleasant dreams, or unpleasant nightmares, which I suspect will be much more likely…"

"Is what he says true, Eric?" Hetty asked. "That there is no way of tracing this?"

"I can trace where it came from," Eric said, "but if it is an Internet café, whoever sent it is going to be long gone."

Hetty sighed, already knowing that Bartholomew was much too clever to be easily traced. "I'm sure there is nothing to be gained from the video itself either, but please check it out, just in case there's any clue," Hetty said.

"You've got it, Hetty," Eric said. "We'll check it out with a fine tooth comb and let you know what we find out."

Hetty watched as Eric and Nell made their way out of her office and back up to Ops. She then hit play to watch the video once again, paying close attention to the faces of her team and feeling very, very sorry that she had inadvertently gotten them into this mess.

xxxxx

"So, how do you think Bart has his men searching for us…teams or groups?" Callen asked Sam. Sam had dropped back to keep pace with his partner, allowing Deeks and Kensi to take the lead. Deeks had spotted one trip wire and Kensi had spotted two, so Sam totally trusted them to keep the team safe as they moved on.

"They're probably separated into small groups," Sam replied. "I don't think Bart wants to take the chance of our number being bigger than theirs."

"Hey, it looks like the woods are coming to an end," Deeks said as he and Kensi stopped and waited for Callen and Sam to catch up. Up ahead, the tree cover ended and there was higher more rocky terrain which would require some climbing.

"What do you think, Sam?" Callen asked as they looked ahead. "We're going to be pretty exposed if we decide to go that way."

Sam nodded. "True, but if we get past it without being spotted, we may enhance our chances of escaping."

Callen shook his head. "I think we're better off sticking to the woods. We should just change direction."

"What if he expects that though?" Kensi asked. "He might expect us to avoid any climbing and be waiting for us somewhere."

"I still think we're way too vulnerable if we do that," Callen said. "A marksman would be able to pick us off, no problem."

"What about over there towards the east," Deeks said pointing. "It's still rocky but not much climbing. It also has some bigger rocks to hide behind."

"I still think we're too exposed," Callen insisted. "What if Bart decides to send a chopper to search for us? He has countless methods to search for us at his fingertips. We have no idea what he's going to use. I think we're kidding ourselves if we think he's only going to try to track us by conventional tracking methods."

Sam sighed as he considered what Callen was saying. He hadn't even considered the possibility of being tracked by the helicopter. There was a very real chance of that happening. "Maybe we should just head east like Deeks said? At least for a little while and see what we find? But we'll stay under the cover of trees in case Bart does try to pull a fast one with the helicopter. What do you all think?"

Kensi nodded. "I think that sounds good."

"Yeah, I'm good with that too," Deeks chimed in.

"G?" Sam looked at his partner who nodded.

"Sure, Sam. I think it's our best bet for the moment."

"Okay, then, come on…let's get moving."

They headed off again and after walking for about an hour or so, the tree cover began to increase once again and they were able to continue on their original northerly direction. "When are we going to figure out something to use for weapons?" Deeks asked as they walked.

"We probably should have done that when we were by the rocks," Sam said. "We could have tried to fashion some kind of rock knives if we found the right size and shape rocks. I think we need to just keep moving right now. Everyone holding up okay?"

The team nodded and Sam was glad to see his partner didn't seem to be suffering too badly…one less thing to worry about. They continued to move on until Sam stopped and put his hand up in the air, signaling the rest of them to stop as well. "Listen," he ordered softly. "Do you hear that?"

"Water?" Callen questioned.

"Yeah…rushing water," Sam confirmed. "Come on." They headed in the direction of the sound and stopped short when they reached a clearing which opened up to a fast moving river.

"No way we're crossing that," Deeks stated, looking at the rough rapids warily.

"No…" Sam stared at the water, weighing their options. He suddenly had the feeling they were being watched and he turned around, looking off into the distance, back the way they had come.

"Sam?" Kensi asked as she looked at him nervously and then looked back in the same direction he was looking. "Did you see something?"

Sam shook his head slowly. "No…no, I didn't...I just had a feeling…" He tried to shake off his sudden attack of nerves. "I guess it was nothing…"

"Are you sure?" Callen asked. Sam's anxious expression was causing Callen's nerves to flare up as well. He really wished he had his gun.

"Come on, let's just follow beside the water for a while, and see what we can see," Sam said.

"I wonder where we are exactly," Deeks mused as they walked.

"And I wonder how well Bart and his men know the area," Kensi said.

"Bart can't have too much first-hand knowledge of it," Callen stated. "Not if he just got out of prison recently."

"No, but his men can," Sam said. "He could have been planning this for quite some time. They could know this area like the back of their hand."

"True." Callen nodded in agreement.

"Not good for us," Deeks said.

"None of this is good for us," Kensi said.

"You don't think they're tracking us, do you?" Deeks asked.

"Of course they're tracking us, Deeks," Callen said, an annoyed expression on his face. "What do you think this is all about?"

Deeks shook his head, trying to hold back his own annoyance. He didn't appreciate being talked to like he was stupid. "I know that, Callen. I'm talking about with a tracker…"

"Oh." Callen and Sam stopped short and looked at each other. Deeks was right. Yet another thing they hadn't thought of. The four team members then began a careful search of their own and each other's clothing as they searched for any kind of GPS trackers. They then did the same thing with the canteens and blankets. They found nothing though and feeling a bit more relieved, they continued on their way.

"What are we going to do about tonight?" Callen asked as they moved along.

"Well, we can't very well travel in the dark," Sam said. "I mean we could, by the moonlight, but we're going to need to rest." He was beginning to feel fatigue setting in and knew his friends had to be feeling the same way.

"I really wonder how far out in the wilderness we are," Callen said. "We could be within just a few miles of a highway or 50 miles. There's no way of knowing, I guess."

"Do you think there are wild animals?" Kensi asked.

No one answered her, but it was obvious from the men's expressions that they thought it was a very likely possibility.

"We really should try to find some rocks before dark," Sam stated. He started to pay more attention to the bank of the river, knowing there could likely be some suitable rocks there. If there were wild animals lurking about, he didn't want them to be totally defenseless against them.

By the time the sun began to set, they each carried a crudely fashioned sharpened rock. They were tired and hungry and as darkness began to shroud the woods, Sam finally signaled for them to stop. "I guess this is as good a place as any to spend the night," he said.

"I wish we could have a fire," Kensi said. The temperature was noticeably dropping. She moved in close to Deeks who wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against him.

"I'll keep you warm, baby," he whispered.

"We'll keep each other warm," she replied softly.

Callen couldn't help but feel a little envious of the couple. He had to admit it would be nice to have someone to cuddle up with.

"We'll take turns keeping watch," Sam said. "I'll take first watch unless one of you feels strongly against that." No one spoke so he nodded and they all settled down on the hard, cold ground with their blankets. The woods, which had seemed quiet during the day, suddenly seemed to come alive with the sounds of crickets, cicadas, and the occasional hoot of an owl, as well as other unfamiliar sounds. It was all highly unnerving and in spite of their fatigue, the team collectively had a hard time settling down to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

_As always, thanks so much for reading and supporting this story. Now, a warning…This is a big cliffhanger chapter so if you don't like that sort of thing proceed with caution ;)_

xxxxx

As Sam sat, keeping his silent and so far uneventful vigil, he wondered if Bart and his henchmen would be trying to hunt them down during the night or if they would wait for daylight. The only good thing was that they would be carrying flashlights and he and the team would definitely be able to spot them coming from a distance and well before they began closing in on them.

"Sam?" Deeks whispered. "I'll take over now."

"Thanks Deeks," Sam replied. He was dead tired now and pretty sure he'd finally be able to get some sleep. He thought that Callen had dropped off, but he wasn't quite sure, knowing that his partner's sleeping habits weren't the best, especially when they were tense and on edge the way they were now.

"No problem." Deeks moved a little bit away from where his teammates were resting and forced his eyes open a little wider. He was pretty tired, but had found sleep to be elusive during Sam's watch. He found a suitable tree and settled back against it to take over the watch duty. Callen appeared to be asleep so Deeks had figured he might as well take over now. They hadn't really discussed a formal schedule. After about a half hour or so, Kensi crept over to where he was sitting.

"Have you noticed anything suspicious?" she asked softly, snuggling up against him.

"Nothing so far," Deeks whispered.

"I can take over if you'd like to get some sleep."

"I've only been doing it for a half hour, Kens," Deeks replied. "You're the one who should get some sleep."

"I'm really not that tired," Kensi said.

"Well, you're the only one whose not," Deeks stated, not believing her for a second. "I'm wiped out and I'm pretty sure Callen and Sam are as well."

"I guess I must be stronger than you guys," Kensi said, smiling.

"You're hilarious, Kens," Deeks replied, "but seriously sweetheart, why don't you try to sleep?"

"You'll wake me to take over for you at 2?" Kensi asked.

Deeks nodded. "I will."

"Is that a promise, Deeks?" Kensi asked. "Because I won't be happy if you don't…"

Deeks sighed and then nodded. "I promise, Kensi. At 2 a.m., I will wake you up."

"Okay…" She pressed a warm kiss over Deeks' lips and then went back over to Sam and Callen, not wanting to distract Deeks from his guard duty.

At 2 a.m. exactly, Deeks did what he had promised and quietly made his way to Kensi's side. He had thought briefly about not waking her, but he knew that Kensi hadn't been paying him lip service when she demanded he wake her. They already had more than enough problems without adding a petty quarrel to the list. "Hey baby," he whispered as he kissed her lips to wake her.

Kensi opened her eyes and immediately sat up. "Thank you for waking me," she said very softly.

"I knew the consequences wouldn't be good if I didn't," Deeks said.

"Get some sleep, Deeks." Taking her blanket with her, Kensi moved over to the same spot where Deeks had been sitting and wrapped the blanket tightly around her. She was becoming accustomed to the night sounds and was relatively calm, considering the situation. She still wished they were able to have a campfire, but at least the moon was close to full and cast a relatively bright light over their campsite. She settled back against the tree and alertly kept an eye out for any unwelcome visitors, either human or the possibility of threatening wildlife.

At 3:30 a.m., Callen quietly approached Kensi. "Hey, Kens…I'll take over now," he said.

"You still have another half hour before your shift," Kensi protested. "Try to sleep a little bit more, Callen."

Callen shook his head. "Trust me…I'm not going to be sleeping anymore tonight. Go and get some shuteye."

"Is this because I'm a woman, Callen?" Kensi asked, looking at him suspiciously. "Because I'm just as good as any of you at keeping watch."

"You know better, Kensi," Callen said quietly. "It has nothing to do with the fact that you're a woman. If it was Sam or Deeks keeping watch, I'd be doing the same thing. Please…just go and get some sleep."

Kensi gave Callen a long look before finally nodding. "Alright…fine." She went and curled up against Deeks as Callen settled down in her vacated spot. He had slept a little bit, on and off, but the distance traveled the previous day had taken its toll on him. He wished he had some ibuprofen or Tylenol…anything to dull the pain in his side. Lying on the hard ground only aggravated it more and he longed to just be able to lie down in a comfortable bed. He knew that wouldn't be happening any time soon though…if ever…

xxxxx

Sam, Kensi and Deeks were all awake even before the sun rose. "Good morning, G…how are you doing?" Sam asked, observing his partner closely. Callen's face was pale and drawn-appearing. He was obviously in pain. It did nothing to make Sam feel better about their situation.

"I'm good, Sam. How are you?"

I'm fine, G."

"Well, I'm not fine," Deeks said, breaking into the conversation. "I am starved. I sure wish we had something to eat for breakfast."

"I'm pretty hungry myself," Sam said in agreement. "Maybe we'll come across some berries or something today. If you find any, don't eat them until I've checked them out. They could be poisonous so unless we're positive they're safe, we can't eat them." The last thing they needed was for any of them to become ill or even worse. "In any case, at least we're by the river and we can fill our canteens. Keeping hydrated is the most important thing, especially as we haven't seen any source of food."

"Berries, those won't be very filling anyway," Deeks muttered under his breath. "We haven't even seen any rabbits or anything like that."

Kensi raised an eyebrow as she looked at him. "We can't build a fire, Deeks. Are you going to eat raw rabbit?"

Callen, who was listening to them, made a face, feeling slightly queasy at the thought of it.

"No," Deeks said, grinning at Kensi. "I guess raw rabbit would be pretty disgusting. Imagine if you got a mouthful of fur?"

"Do you two mind talking about something else?" Callen asked, glaring at Deeks.

"No problem, Callen," Deeks said.

"Hey, G? You sure you're feeling alright?" Sam asked, noting that his partner's mood was not the best.

"Yeah, Sam. As I've told you before, I'm just sore…nothing I can't handle."

"Then you should be able to handle me checking you out…I'm not going to hurt you."

Callen rolled his eyes. "You've discovered my secret…I don't want you looking at me because I'm scared you're going to hurt me." He picked up his canteen from the ground and headed towards the river to fill it.

"I think you made him mad," Kensi said to Sam.

Sam sighed as he picked up his own canteen and headed after his partner.

"Should we follow them?" Deeks asked, glancing at Kensi.

Kensi quickly shook her head. "No, let's just leave them alone." Wanting to change the subject, she put her attention entirely on Deeks. "Did you sleep well?"

Deeks shrugged. "I slept. Well would be a bit of an overstatement. How about you?"

"The same. It's kind of hard to sleep when you know a pack of crazed murders is on your trail."

"Yeah…there is that," Deeks replied, looking discouraged as he put his arm around Kensi and she rested her head on his shoulder. "I really wish we had guns and food and comfortable beds…"

"So, basically you wish we weren't in this situation," she said softly.

"Yeah…yeah, that's pretty much sums it up…"

xxxxx

Sam approached Callen who was squatted by the riverbank, his head tilted back as he drank from his canteen.

"What's going on, G?" Sam asked quietly.

Callen lowered the canteen and got to his feet, a questioning look in his eyes. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "I'm drinking water, staying hydrated. Isn't this what you told us to do just a few minutes ago?"

"Yeah, it is…Listen G, I know you don't want to be coddled, but…"

Callen shook his head, obviously irritated. "Come off it, Sam. I have one or two bruised ribs, or maybe they're cracked, I really don't know. In either case, they're going to hurt, especially after trekking around in the wilderness all day long and then sleeping or trying to sleep on the cold, hard ground. What exactly are you going to do about it?"

Sam sighed and shook his head in discouragement. "I don't know…I can't explain it. You're right. I know I can't do anything about it."

"So, just give me a break, okay?" Callen said. "There's no point in looking at my bruises, Sam. I really don't think you're going to accomplish anything."

"I can't help it if I worry about you, G…that's never going to change."

"Well, there's no need to. I'm alright, Sam. I promise you I am," Callen knelt by the water, filled his canteen to the top and tightly closed the cover. "I think we just need to worry about this whole situation and how the hell we're going to get out of it." Callen then walked away, leaving Sam standing alone by the river, and he headed back to Kensi and Deeks. "We need to get going soon," he stated, then watched as his two younger team members picked their canteens up from the ground and headed towards Sam and the river. Callen picked his blanket up from the ground and shook it out then proceeded to roll it up. He then sat on the ground and waited for his teammates to return.

xxxxx

Kensi and Deeks approached Sam who was staring out at the rushing water, appearing to be deep in thought. They went over to the edge and proceeded to fill their canteens with the fresh water and then drink. After Deeks drank a satisfying amount, he stood up and faced Sam who hadn't even acknowledged their presence. "Hey, man…are you okay?"

Sam came out of his thoughts and nodded at Deeks. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"What is it you think is wrong with Callen anyhow?" Deeks asked. "If it was anything serious, there's no way he'd be able to keep up with this romp through the wilderness, Sam."

"Yeah, yeah, I know you're right, Deeks," Sam said with a sigh. "I know I'm just irritating him and I need to lay off."

"But you're worried," Kensi said as she flung the strap to her now full canteen over her shoulder.

Sam shrugged. "Sometimes it's hard not to worry, no matter how hard you try. I'm worried about all of us, not just him. I'm afraid Bart's band of goons could be surrounding us somehow, and we'll never even see it coming…"

"Well, that's a cheery thought," Deeks said.

"Sorry," Sam said. "I'd like to think we'd see some sign of that happening. I'm hopeful they're not too close or we would have seen some kind of light during the night. Anyhow…we'd better get moving. Did you two drink enough?"

Deeks and Kensi both nodded.

"Then come on, let's grab G and get going…

xxxxx

That morning's hike was rougher than the day before. For one thing, the temperature had markedly increased. Although the cover of the trees blocked them from direct sunlight, the heat and humidity were making things difficult. Their pace was definitely much slower.

"This is a definite beach day," Deeks paused to brush his perspiration-soaked hair back from his forehead. "I would give anything to be out on the water surfing right now."

"Yeah, well unless you feel like fighting the rapids, that's not going to be happening any time soon," Sam stated. He glanced over at his partner, who was breathing heavily, his arm pressed against the right side of his abdomen. "Why don't we take a five minute break?"

Callen didn't protest. He just immediately sat on the ground. Kensi and Deeks did the same then Sam followed suit. Sam tried not to question Callen, but he couldn't stop himself. "You holding up okay?"

"I was thinking of that scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," Callen said musingly. "When they're on that scary boat ride? _There's no earthly way of knowing, which direction we are going_ …"

"I remember that," Deeks said _. "_ It was really creepy. _Are the fires of Hell a-glowing? Is the grisly reaper mowing? Yes, the danger must be growing…"_

"That was a great movie," Callen said. "It used to give me hope that things could someday be okay. Not that I'd get a golden ticket…I knew that wasn't true, but…"

"I read that no one told the actors that the boat ride was going to be creepy the way it was. They did it to get natural reactions out of them," Deeks said. "They did the same thing when the kids entered the chocolate room so they could film their honest first impressions. Also at the end when Wonka was yelling at Charlie about drinking the fizzy lifting drinks…they really upset the kid…kind of mean."

"I thought the chocolate room was awesome," Kensi said with a smile, remembering. "I wanted to go there so badly."

"Kamran loves that movie," Sam said. "We watch it at least two or three times a year. She used to want me to get her an everlasting gobstopper when she was little. I had a hard time making her understand they weren't real."

"What kid who saw that movie didn't want an everlasting gobstopper?" Deeks asked. "And actually…I wish I had one of those right now. It would make things just a little bit more bearable out here."

"Well…I don't think we have those in our future," Sam said, slowly getting to his feet. "I hate to say it, but we'd better get a move on."

xxxxx

As the day wore on, the terrain became rougher, with harder, rockier terrain, causing their progress to slow even more. Sam was trying to balance the pace between making decent progress and not causing Callen too much pain. It was pretty obvious his partner was struggling, but they had to keep going. There just wasn't any choice.

They kept on walking, with very little discussion. They were just focused on moving along and watching for any possible booby traps that might exist, although there hadn't been anything like that for a while. Sam knew they needed to remain diligent, however, knowing that a lapse in attention could have very dire consequences.

xxxxx

As with many things in life, it happened suddenly, with no warning whatsoever. The sound of a single gunshot and the shock in the eyes of Callen, Sam and Kensi as Deeks silently fell to the ground.

xxxxx

 _Sorry about that, but I did warn you… The Willy Wonka stuff was in my head since I watched it with my nephew over the weekend_ _J_


	7. Chapter 7

_Thanks for reading and for all your comments on the previous chapter._

xxxxx

"Get down," Callen yelled unnecessarily as both Kensi and Sam were already in the midst of doing just that.

They waited in tense anticipation for more gunshots, but there were none. "Anyone see anything?" Sam asked.

"No, but it's obvious someone knows we're here," Callen replied, his eyes gazing off into the distance of where he estimated the shot could have come from.

Sam turned towards Deeks who was grimacing as Kensi had her hands placed on his right shoulder, applying pressure to where the bullet had entered, as she tried to stop the bleeding.

"I'm alright," Deeks stated, trying to reassure his friends. However, he looked anything but alright. Finally, after about 10 minutes, the bleeding began to slow.

"I wish we had some bandages or something," Sam stated as he carefully examined Deeks' shoulder and noted that the bullet hadn't gone through so it was somewhere inside Deeks' body. Sam took his canteen and began to pour water over the wound to clean it out as well as he could.

"Take my shirt, I've got a t-shirt underneath," Callen said as he undid the buttons and took it off, then passed it off to his partner. Sam tore the shirt and set to work tightly bandaging Deeks' shoulder. It certainly wasn't a sterile bandage, but it was better than nothing. He then stuffed the rest of Callen's shirt into his pocket for later use.

"What should we do?" Kensi asked. "We can't just stay here. They could be on their way to us."

"No…you're right about that," Sam said. He studied the area around them and saw some large rocks, a short distance away, which would provide some cover. "Let's try to make it over there," he suggested. "I'll help you, Deeks." Keeping low to the ground, they made their way over to the rocks where Sam made Deeks as comfortable as he could, then covered him with a blanket.

"We can't just stay here waiting, Sam. This cover does us no good without guns. We're sitting ducks." Callen said. "I think we need to be proactive."

"What are you thinking, G?"

"I think we should backtrack a little bit and see if we can spot anyone. Maybe we can take some of them out."

Sam thought about what Callen was saying for a few moments and finally nodded. Sitting here and waiting to be picked off wasn't going to do them any good at all. Now Deeks needed medical attention, which made their situation even more ominous. "Are you two going to be okay here?" Sam asked, turning his attention to Kensi and Deeks. He didn't like leaving them alone, but they were running out of viable options. Evidently their head start, if they had really ever had it to begin with, had run out.

Kensi nodded. "We'll be fine, Sam. Please be careful."

With that, Callen and Sam headed back in the direction they had come from.

xxxxx

"Here, Deeks, drink some water," Kensi said softly as she took the cover off his canteen and raised It to his lips.

Deeks took a couple of sips and then turned his head away. "That's enough." He shifted and held back a moan of pain as he unsuccessfully tried to get more comfortable. It wasn't an easy task on the hard, rocky surface he was lying on though. "I don't like that they're going after them alone," he said. "I can't believe I was so stupid to get shot."

"Deeks, stop that," Kensi admonished him gently. "You weren't stupid. How were you supposed to avoid that? You didn't see them. None of us did. It could have been any one of us who got hit. You were just the unlucky one."

Deeks shifted again and winced as a bolt of pain shot through his shoulder. "Dammit."

Kensi looked at him thoughtfully for a few moments and then moved over so she was sitting right behind him. "Come here," she said softly as she gently tried to position him so his head was in her lap. She then gently wrapped her arms around him. "Is that better?"

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then nodded. "Yes, it's better, Kens…thanks."

"You let me know if there's anything I can do for you, okay?" Kensi looked down at the ground by her side and made sure the stone knife was within easy reach. It was very primitive, but she was ready and willing to use it if anyone came close to them. She would do everything in her power to protect herself and Deeks.

xxxxx

"So…how bad is Deeks' wound?" Callen asked after he and Sam had walked a short distance away from where they had left Kensi and Deeks.

"It's not great," Sam replied with a worried expression as he briefly met his partner's eyes. "Of course, any kind of a wound out here isn't exactly a good thing. Not without any kind of medical supplies. At least we have fresh water, but that's the only thing we have in our favor. We really need to figure a way to get out of this mess."

"I really wish…" Callen abruptly stopped talking and cocked his head slightly to the side as he listened intently. He then motioned with his hand over to the left and Sam silently crept over in that direction, while Callen went the opposite way. It didn't take long for Callen to spot two men. They were standing in a small clearing, laughing.

"That guy didn't know what hit him," one of the men said. "This is so easy. We can just play with them until Bart decides to swoop in and make them all pay."

"Yep, they'll be taken care of once and for all. Bart thought they might be a challenge, but I haven't seen any evidence of that. They're just running like scared rabbits. This is definitely easy money," the other guy said.

Callen watched as Sam counted off with his fingers, one, two, three… He then sprang at the man closest to him at the same moment that Sam went for the other guy.

Callen tackled his man, knocking him to the ground. Both sets of hands then struggled to gain sole custody of the rifle. Suddenly, Callen heard a gunshot, and at that moment, the guy he was wrestling with, aimed a hard kick into his injured side, which caused him to lose his grip on the rifle. The man then stood up with a sinister grin and pointed the gun at Callen, but another gunshot rang out and he fell to the ground. "Thanks, Sam," Callen said as he gingerly got up from the ground, brushed himself off, and then made sure the guy was dead. Thanks to the kick, the pain in his side had flared up again, but he forced himself not to react to it. There were much more important things to worry about. "Is he dead too?" he asked, looking at the first man who Sam had shot.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, he's dead. Are you okay, G?"

"I'm fine," Callen said with a nod.

Sam looked back at his partner skeptically. He didn't really believe him, but there was nothing he could really do about it anyhow. For now, he would just have to take Callen at his word.

xxxxx

Deeks had been lightly dozing, but when the sound of the first gunshot rang out, he awoke with a start, confused and disoriented. "Kensi?"

"Shhh… I'm right here, Deeks," Kensi murmured. "You're okay." They both jumped slightly when the sound of a second shot was heard.

"What was that?" he asked, looking around. "Where are Callen and Sam?"

"They backtracked to see if they could take some of them down," Kensi said gently as she softly brushed Deeks' hair back from his forehead. "Remember?"

"Yeah…yeah, I remember," he said as he tried to sit up. "But, it's a bad idea. We need to help them."

"No, you need to stay put," Kensi said as she gently but firmly kept her hands on his chest to keep him from sitting up.

"We need to help them. They might be hurt, or worse," Deeks said insistently. "Did you not hear those gunshots? We can't just leave them."

"Yes, I heard the gunshots, Deeks," Kensi said, "but for right now, staying put is exactly what we need to do." She wanted to go after Sam and Callen in the worst way, but she couldn't leave Deeks alone. "They haven't been gone long. We need to wait…hopefully, they'll be back soon."

xxxxx

"Let's check them out, see if they have anything we can use, ammo or whatever else they might have." Callen said. He first searched through the dead man's pockets but found nothing. He then picked up a small canvas bag from the ground and opened it. "Jackpot," he said as he shuffled through it. "I've got ammo, some first aid stuff and a couple of protein bars in here."

Sam found another bag on the ground, next to the first guy he had killed, with similar contents. He picked up the rifle and bag. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"Are we just going to leave these guys here?" Callen asked, a concerned expression on his face. "Aren't they pretty much a road map for whoever comes along after them?"

Sam shook his head. "What do you suggest we do, G? We can't bury them. We don't have the time and even if we did, we don't have anything to dig with. Anyhow, I'm sure some of Bart's men heard the gunshots."

"I was thinking we could toss them in the river," Callen stated. "Depending on where his men are situated, they might not be able to figure out where the shots came from." He hesitated for a moment, looking puzzled.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"I didn't find any kind of a radio or walkie talkie, did you?"

"No…" Sam did another thorough search of the first body but found nothing except for a compass which he had missed on the first search. He put it into the canvas bag with the other items. "That's really weird."

Callen nodded. "Wouldn't you think these guys would have some way of keeping in touch with each other?"

"I would definitely think that. I don't see anything though. In any case, I want to get back to Kensi and Deeks. Let's dump these guys and head on back. Sam went to lift one of the men from the ground and Callen saw the walkie talkie which had been underneath him. He grabbed it and put it into the canvas bag then went over to pick up the other guy from the ground.

"G, don't," Sam said. "I'll carry them."

"I can carry one of them, Sam," Callen said.

Sam shook his head, deciding to try a different tact. "Just take this guy's feet. Come on, it'll be faster if we just work together."

Callen knew that Sam could easily carry the body on his own and was just trying to protect him, but he did as his partner asked, not wanting to further increase the pain from his injury. After the bodies had been disposed of, they headed back to where they had left Kensi and Deeks.

xxxxx

Kensi was becomingly increasingly worried as the time went by and there was no sign of Callen or Sam. She looked down at Deeks and gently touched his forehead. She was trying very hard not to let him know how scared she was for him. She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally saw Callen and Sam approaching. "What happened?" she asked as they ducked down behind the rocks. "I thought you might have been shot." She eyed the bags and rifles they were carrying. "How many did you get?"

"Two," said Sam, his eyes on Deeks. "How is he?"

"He's in a lot of pain and he's been a little bit out of it. I'm really worried about him, Sam."

"I know you are," Sam said. "'We did get some first aid stuff. Now I can properly take care of his wound, at least for the time being.

"I'm just concerned about the bullet being in there. I wish it had just gone straight through."

"I'll take care of him, Kens," Sam said, trying to reassure her.

"He needs a doctor and a hospital," Kensi said.

"Kensi…" Deeks struggled to open his eyes and looked up at her. "I'll be okay, baby. It…it doesn't even feel that bad. Don't worry."

"I'm always going to worry about you," Kensi said as she leaned down and gave him a light kiss. "Try to rest."

Callen watched the couple worriedly. The fact that they now had weapons made him feel a little better, but Deeks being hurt was a huge cause for concern. They definitely needed to come up with a plan, sooner rather than later.


	8. Chapter 8

_***WARNING*** If you don't like cliffhangers please DON'T read this chapter until I've posted the next one. Thanks to all of you who have been reading this one. I very much appreciate all the words of encouragement I've gotten._

xxxxx

"Hey Deeks," Sam said as he knelt on the ground next to Deeks. "How are you doing? I'm going to try to do a little better job of taking care of your wound now that we've got some proper medical supplies." He gently began to unwrap the makeshift bandage from Deeks' shoulder, stopping when he got to the part directly covering the wound.

"What's the matter?" Kensi, who had been observantly watching Sam's every move, asked.

"The cloth is stuck to the wound," Sam explained. "If I try to tear it off, it's likely going to start bleeding again…and it's going to hurt."

"So don't do it then," Kensi said, not particularly wanting Deeks to go through any more pain than necessary.

"I don't care if it hurts, Sam," Deeks said. "Do whatever you think is best…I trust you."

Sam sighed as he weighed his options. He didn't really want to start up the bleeding again, but then again, G's shirt was far from sterile, although there was a very good chance the wound had already been contaminated. "Okay…get ready…" Deeks nodded and braced himself in anticipation of what Sam was about to do. As gently as he could, Sam began to pull the shirt away from the wound. Almost immediately, it started to bleed. Finally, Sam got the shirt free. Then he took a sterile gauze pad which he placed over the wound and applied pressure until the bleeding stopped once again. He then poured saline solution over the wound and bandaged it up. "You okay?" he asked Deeks when he had finished.

Deeks nodded. It actually hadn't been as bad as he had expected it would be. "Yeah…I'm good, Sam. Thanks."

"No problem," Sam stated. "I just wish we'd had these supplies when you first got shot."

"Then Callen could have saved his shirt," Deeks said with a chuckle.

"I don't care about my shirt, Deeks," Callen said. He knew that Deeks was only kidding around, but he felt compelled to say it anyway. He was exhausted and he found his mood had been going downhill ever since Deeks had been shot.

"I know you don't," Deeks said, seeing that Callen wasn't in the mood for jokes. He wasn't particularly either, but he was trying to do whatever he could to distract himself from the pain he was in. He found even the slightest bit of levity to be helpful.

Callen sighed and opened up the bag he was carrying and pulled out the protein bars. "You think we should eat these now or save them?" he asked, glancing over at Sam.

"I've got two also," Sam said. "We could probably use the energy." He opened up his bag and passed a bar to Deeks while Callen handed one off to Kensi.

Kensi immediately opened her bar and took a bite. "Mmm…" she said, savoring it. It really wasn't her ideal food of choice, but under the circumstances, it was sheer bliss. She glanced at Deeks who didn't seem particularly interested in his. "Aren't you hungry?" she asked, worriedly.

Although he'd been starving earlier in the day, Deeks actually wasn't all that hungry now, but he didn't want to worry Kensi so he forced a grin and tore off a piece of the wrapper. "I'm definitely hungry, Fern," he said. "Just don't want to eat it too quickly. After all, who knows when we're going to get something else to eat."

Callen took a bite of his own protein bar and pulled the walkie talkie out of the bag. He studied it for a few moments and then turned it on, receiving only the sound of light static. He put it on the ground and continued to eat. "So…what's our next move?" he asked, looking over at his partner. "Do you think we should get moving again? We've still got a couple of hours left of daylight."

"I don't know," Sam said, casting a dubious look in Deeks' direction. "Maybe we should stay here…At least we've got the guns now if we need to defend ourselves."

Deeks quickly caught on that he was the reason for Sam's reluctance to forge ahead. "Hey, don't be holding back on my account," he said quickly. "I can walk."

"Deeks…" Kensi looked at him, concern evident in her eyes. "You need to be careful. You can't overdo it."

"We can't just stay here either, waiting for Bart and his minions to show up and take us out," Deeks debated, turning his attention to Sam. "You know I'm right."

Callen picked up one of the rifles and checked to make sure it was loaded before placing it back on the ground.

Sam looked back at Callen, knowing his partner wanted to move on, but he wasn't sure it was a good idea. Then again, Deeks was willing and seemed able to go ahead right now so maybe it was the smart thing to do, in case his condition worsened. "Alright, G…let's try to move on for a little bit…we'll see how it goes." Sam checked his own gun and satisfied that it was loaded and in working order, he got up off the ground.

Deeks painstakingly got to his feet and was a bit wobbly but managed to steady himself as Kensi put her arm around him. "I'm okay, baby," he said. Kensi kept her arm where it was though and Deeks didn't object. The team then set off behind Sam who took the lead, but at a slower pace than previously. Callen took the rear so he could keep an eye on Deeks, to make sure he wasn't running into trouble.

xxxxx

They had been walking for about a half hour when the walkie talkie suddenly came to life. "This is Base Command," Bart's now familiar voice stated. "All teams please report with your status."

"Edwards and Browning, all quiet."

"Randall and Parsons, all quiet."

"Mason and Arnold, all quiet."

There was then silence for a short time before Bart's voice was heard once again.

"Chandler and Bates, please report your status."

Sam turned around and exchanged a look with Callen. "Don't think he's going to get an answer," Callen said with a humorless smirk. "Not unless he has a direct line to Hell."

"Keep your eyes open, everyone," Sam said. He directed his gaze towards Deeks. "You hanging in there?"

"I'm good, Sam," Deeks replied. He appeared a little pale, but Sam took him at his word and began walking once again.

xxxxx

After another half hour or so, Bart spoke, once again, through the walkie talkie. However, this time his comments were directed at them. "You think you're so smart, Callen and Company?" he asked. "Whatever little victory you think you may have gained, rest assured, it will be very short lived. To all members of my teams, Protocol 2B has been enabled. Repeat, Protocol 2B has been enabled. Switch to private channel for further instructions."

Just then, Deeks stumbled and almost fell. "Hold up, Sam," Callen called out as he went over to Deeks. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Deeks stated, a hint of aggravation in his eyes. "Let's keep going."

"Come on, Deeks," Callen said. "Let's just take a short break."

"I said I'm fine."

"Deeks," Kensi pleaded softly. "Listen to Callen…please."

Deeks looked at Kensi and after a long pause, he nodded and sank down to the ground. "I'll rest for a few minutes," he said as Kensi sat down next to him.

"You really don't have to try so hard," she said to him as she took his hand and drew it into her lap. "You don't need to impress us."

"I'm not trying to impress anyone, baby," Deeks said wearily. "It's just that I know, as well as anyone, what's at stake here."

"Even so," Kensi said, shaking her head. "You have to think about your health too. You don't want to get worse…"

"Kensi…baby, we've got to be realistic," Deeks said seriously as he gazed into her eyes. "We need to try to keep ahead of these guys…if we don't, well…I don't think any of us are going to have to worry about our health if we get our heads blown off…I'm well aware of my limitations and trust me, I haven't reached them yet."

"I'm sorry, but I can't help but be concerned about you, Deeks," Kensi said as she gently brushed some of his hair back from his face with her fingers. "You can't say you wouldn't feel the same way if our positions were reversed."

"You're right," said Deeks quietly, a loving smile on his lips. "I'll always worry about you."

Feeling as if he was intruding on what he felt should be a private moment, Callen directed his gaze away from the younger team members and turned towards his partner. "So, what are you thinking, Sam?" he asked.

"Actually, I'm thinking that I wish I had saved that protein bar for dinner," Sam said, with a faint grin.

Callen nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty hungry too," he admitted. He sighed softly as he noted the coolness in the air and shivered slightly. "The air is really changing. It was really hot earlier, but now the temperature is definitely dropping."

"Well at least we still have the blankets," Sam stated. "I'm thinking since those guys we took out didn't have sleeping bags or blankets with them, that they must have planned to meet up with the others at a main campsite by the end of the day."

"Yeah, I think you're right," Callen agreed. "I just wish we had some idea of how close they were to us…"

"No way of telling that," Sam said. "Although I have to admit I'm pretty curious about Protocol 2B."

"It's probably nothing, Sam," Callen said. "For all we know, Bart just said that to mess with us. Why wouldn't he just have said Plan B? I doubt he has a list of protocols on how to deal with us. I think he's just a crazy son of a bitch." He sighed as his stomach rumbled loudly. "I bet he and his men will be eating well tonight."

"Yeah…I could sure use a good meal," Sam said wistfully. "A big, juicy steak would taste really good right about now."

"With a baked potato with sour cream and a salad," Callen said. "Maybe some hot rolls with butter. That would really hit the spot."

"Come on guys," Kensi interrupted. "It's not going to do any of us any good to be thinking about the meals that we can't have." She was really hungry too, but hearing them talking about food only served to make her feel even hungrier. She looked at Deeks whose eyes were closed and spoke softly. "Are we going to stay here for the night?"

Callen looked at Deeks and then at Sam, leaving the decision in his hands.

"Yeah, we won't be able to make much more headway now anyhow," Sam said. "It'll be starting to get dark soon."

"I'm going to go refill my canteen before that happens," Callen said as he stood up. "Do you guys need water?" Kensi checked her and Deeks' canteens and found them to be over half full. "I think we're good until morning."

"I'll go with you, G," Sam said. He didn't want any of them going off on their own, even for short distances. They had been walking under the cover of trees, a little bit away from the rapids, figuring they were less exposed that way.

Callen handed his rifle off to Kensi. "Keep alert, Kens."

Kensi nodded as she took the rifle and Callen and Sam headed off in the direction of the water. "So, what do you think about Deeks?" Callen asked as they walked.

Sam shrugged. He's holding up well enough so far. We'll see how he does tonight. I don't like the fact that he has to go through all this with a bullet in him though. How about you?"

"What about me?" Callen asked.

"Come on, G. I know you've been hurting. You may be good at hiding things from other people, but I still see the signs."

"I'm okay, Sam," Callen said. "Honestly, it doesn't hurt as much as it did."

"Maybe you're just getting used to the pain."

Callen shook his head. "I'd tell you if it was bad."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Now I know you're playing me, G."

Callen decided further protests were useless. His partner was going to have his own thoughts on the matter no matter what he said to try to dissuade him. They reached the water and Callen climbed onto some rocks along the bank, then knelt down to fill his canteen.

"Be careful, G," Sam said, his eyes on his partner. He turned around to scan the area and suddenly saw a glimmer of sunlight on what appeared to be a rifle in the distance. "Sniper!" Sam yelled. He aimed his own rifle and shot in the direction of the gunman, just as the assailant began firing at them. Sam then checked on his partner's status, at the exact moment that Callen's stunned eyes met his. Sam saw blood on the side of Callen's head right before he dropped his canteen and toppled into the rushing river.

xxxxx

 _Yes, I know I'm mean._


	9. Chapter 9

_I didn't want to leave you all hanging too long with how I ended the last chapter so here's another update. The ending of this chapter is at least a tad better, (though maybe not lol) In any case, thanks for reading and for all your reviews. Very much appreciated._

xxxxx

"G!" Sam frantically searched the water, trying to spot his partner. He couldn't see him anywhere though, not even a glimpse of him. "G!" He began to run and continued to scream for his friend as he ran and followed the river along its downstream course. "G, where are you?!" The gunman was completely forgotten as Sam desperately searched for Callen. "G…G please…" Sam finally stopped running and bent down, putting his hands on his knees as he started to sob. Callen was gone.

xxxxx

Kensi waited tensely, holding the rifle in position, as she kept an eye out for the possible appearance of Bart, his men or any other potential enemies. It was starting to grow dark and she was more than a little bit worried about the fate of Sam and Callen.

"I think something happened to them, Deeks," she said.

Deeks wanted to reassure her, but in all honesty, he had the same feeling. "Do you think we should look for them?" he asked.

Kensi hesitated as she tried to decide the best thing to do. She would have preferred going off on her own to look for Callen and Sam, but she knew there was no way Deeks would stay put here waiting. Not to mention, she didn't really want to leave him on his own. It wasn't like they could cut the rifle in half. "We'll wait a little bit longer," she stated uneasily. She prayed that one or both of their teammates hadn't been injured or worse.

xxxxx

Sam started slowly walking back upstream as he tried to make sense of what had happened, unable to stop thinking about how he had failed to save his partner. He wished he had searched the area before Callen went over to the side of the river. He should have been closer to him. If he had stayed by his partner's side, he could have grabbed him the second the shooting had begun. He could have shoved him to the ground, out of harm's way and away from the river…the river…he couldn't even bear to think of Callen dying alone in that cold and now swiftly darkening water. Finally, he reached the spot where Callen had dropped his canteen. He picked it up and clutched it tightly as tears began to fall once again. How could this have happened? How could he have failed his best friend so badly?

xxxxx

"I think we need to go," Kensi said as she got to her feet and reached for Deeks' hand to help him. "We need to find them before it gets really dark."

Deek was just about to take her hand when he spotted Sam slowly walking towards them. "Kens…" he said softly. Kensi looked at him with a questioning look in her eyes and then turned around and saw Sam.

"Sam? Sam, what happened?" Kensi asked. Her concern only grew as she saw that he had obviously been crying. She looked behind him for any sign of Callen, but there was none.

"We…we heard the shots," Deeks said. He exchanged a glance with Kensi, neither of them wanting to ask the obvious question.

Sam sat down heavily on the ground, not saying a word.

"Sam?" Kensi asked as she tentatively touched his shoulder. "Sam…Talk to us…Please…"

Still nothing.

"Is Callen? Is he?" Deeks hesitated, still not wanting to ask the question.

"Is he what, Deeks?" Sam turned his head and stared at the younger man, his eyes angry and glistening with tears. "Is he dead? Can't you say it? D…E…A…D… Dead. Yes, Deeks…he's dead!"

Kensi's eyes began to well up as she stared at Sam, horrified. "Sam? How? Where?"

"He's somewhere in the river," Sam whispered. "He…he was shot…in the head…He fell in, went under right away…I tried to find him…I did…I tried…I couldn't…I….I never saw him…not even a glimpse…"

"But, maybe…There's no…" Deeks stopped himself, unable to refer to Callen as a body. It sounded too cold, too callous…He was having a hard time believing this to be true. How could Callen be dead? It just didn't seem possible.

Sam didn't respond. He couldn't stop thinking about the look of shock on his partner's face. He had realized what had happened. Sam prayed he had lost consciousness immediately afterwards. He didn't want to think about him struggling in the water, unable to rise to the surface as his lungs filled with water and he drowned. He bowed his head and began to sob. First Michelle…now G…first his wife and now his brother…he was done…done with it all…done with NCIS. He'd had enough. It was just too much. How much more was he expected to take? Hadn't he lost enough? It just wasn't fair.

Kensi went to Sam and gently took him into her arms as he cried and she allowed her own tears to fall as well. This whole damn thing was just a huge nightmare and it kept on getting worse. She couldn't believe that Callen was gone. Maybe if she had witnessed it…maybe then, but not this way… She just didn't want to believe it was true…

xxxxx

When he first hit the ice cold water, Callen immediately went under as he felt his body slamming into rocks of varying shapes and sizes. He felt like he was spinning around in a giant washing machine full of rocks. The current carried him rapidly and he was unable to rise to the surface at first. He really thought he was going to drown. Then, every time he managed to get his head above the water, he was quickly swept under again. Finally, after being carried for what felt like forever, he desperately managed to grab onto a large rock and keep his head above the water for more than a few seconds. He coughed up water he had swallowed and took some gasping breaths. He couldn't stop shivering as he looked around to try to get a handle on where he was. Of course, he didn't have any idea. All he knew for sure was that he was all alone and in a terrible amount of trouble.

Callen realized that eventually he was going to have to let go of the rock and make an attempt to swim towards land. As he looked at the distance he needed to go, he wasn't very optimistic about his odds for success. Realizing that he was just going to get colder, the longer he stayed in the water, he finally decided to go for it and he let go of the rock. Unfortunately, the current continued to carry him downstream, but eventually he reached an area where the flow of the water was slower. Finally, using the last bit of strength and stamina that he possessed, he managed to make it to shore. He crawled out of the water onto the riverbank and passed out, totally spent from what he'd just gone through.

When Callen eventually came to, the first thing he noted was that it was almost dark. He slowly sat up to try to take stock of his injuries. He was sore all over. He had no idea how many scrapes and bruises he now had as a result of his crazy plunge into the rock-filled river. He was also entirely soaked and freezing. "Damn…" he said to himself as he wrapped his arms across his chest and tried to stop shivering. He then remembered the gunshot that had gone off and he tentatively felt the side of his head. He suspected the wound couldn't be anything more than a graze or there was no way he could have made it through the rapids alive. The wound felt very shallow and was pretty sore, but was likely just a scrape. He realized how lucky he was to be alive. He wasn't lucky to be separated from the rest of the team though. He also wondered what they thought about his situation, if they even thought he was alive. He realized there was every reason in the world for them to think he was dead. Because of that, he was going to have to try to find them, in case they weren't looking for him. They had been consistently following the river downstream and Callen couldn't think of any reason why Sam would change their course. With that in mind, he slowly began to head upstream, hoping, at some point, to meet up with his teammates once again.

xxxxx

Sam's tears had finally ceased and now he, Kensi and Deeks were just sitting there in the dark, all of them alone with their morbid thoughts.

"Maybe he's still alive…" Deeks finally stated, wanting to break the eerie silence and needing to say what had been on his mind ever since Sam had returned from the river.

"He's not alive," Sam said. His voice sounded lifeless, almost devoid of any emotion. "He was shot in the head... Either the bullet killed him or he drowned." Once again, he prayed the bullet had killed him, the other alternative sounding too awful.

"But Sam…"

"Deeks…Shh…" Kensi took his hand and held it gently. "We'll be heading downstream tomorrow," she whispered to him. "We'll search for him as we walk…maybe…maybe there will be a miracle." She didn't really think so, nor did she want to get Sam's hopes up, but even if they found Callen's body, washed up on the bank of the river…as distressing as that thought was, at least it would give them closure.

xxxxx

Callen's walking was clumsy as he tried to make his way through the darkness, stumbling numerous times over rocks and exposed roots. He knew this wasn't a very good idea, but neither was falling asleep in the cold with his wet clothes. More than anything, he wished that he was back with his friends and that he could wrap himself up in a warm blanket and sip from a cup of hot tea. He hadn't gone very far at all when he spotted the unmistakable glow of a campfire and heard the murmuring of voices. Knowing with certainty that it wasn't his team, he forced himself to move faster. He needed to warn his teammates that they were heading in the direction that would put them on a direct collision course with Bart and his goons.

"Agent Callen," the haunting voice came out of the darkness and then a flashlight was turned on and shone in his face. Callen turned his head away from the light only to see that, in addition to Bart, he was surrounded by four men with rifles all pointed directly at him.

"I suggest you come with us," Bart said as two of the men roughly grabbed Callen by his arms. Resistance will prove to be quite futile and will leave a bit of a bloody mess in this beautiful natural habitat. I don't think we want that, do we?"

Unable to see any viable means of escape, Callen did as he was told and didn't try to escape as Bart and his men ushered him towards the camp.


	10. Chapter 10

_You have all been really great about supporting this story and I very much appreciate it. :)_

xxxxx

As Callen was forcibly dragged in the direction of Bart's camp, he couldn't help but wonder why the man hadn't just shot him on the spot. Wasn't that the point of this supposed game? Maybe he was going to kill him slowly and painfully. As if he wasn't already in enough pain. Right now, he was having a difficult time trying to identify a part of his body that didn't hurt.

"What do you think, Agent Callen?" Bart asked when they arrived at the camp. The tantalizing aroma of cooking meat hung in the air and the campfire burned brightly. Callen gazed at it longingly, craving the warmth which it would provide. Tents were set up along the perimeter of the campsite.

"He asked you a question, boy," one of the men grasping his arm growled. "You'd better answer him or I'll teach you a lesson about manners you won't soon forget."

Callen shook his head wearily. He had no idea what he was supposed to say. Finally he spoke, not really wanting his body to undergo more of a beating if it could be avoided. "It's nice." He mentally congratulated himself that he'd managed to sound only a little bit sarcastic.

Bart started to laugh. "Why yes, it is rather nice, isn't it? It doesn't provide all the comforts of home, but for someone like me who's been in prison, it does the trick quite nicely. Of course, for you, having lived in the splendor of Henrietta's luxurious style of living, it must seem a bit mundane."

"I haven't lived with Hetty for a very long time," Callen stated.

"No, no I don't suppose you have," Bart said musingly. "From what I've been able to decipher, you live a very simple life."

Callen forced himself not to react, but it was obvious to him that Bart had done his homework very thoroughly. "You must have had yourself quite a network while you were in prison."

Bart nodded. "Yes…yes, I did. It's quite amazing what money buys, Agent Callen. There are many desperate people in the world who will do practically anything for you if you offer them enough. Money talks. It's a fact. But I digress, surely you're hungry? You look cold as well. Sitting over there by the fire, wrapped up in a blanket…it sounds good, doesn't it?"

Callen tried to hide the fact that he was still shivering. He knew damn well that Bart was playing with him. He didn't expect a meal or a place by the fire, unless Bart was planning to throw him into it.

"No? You're not hungry? Not cold?"

"What if I am?" Callen asked, against his better judgement.

"Well then, all you have to do is ask. Ask me for a nice hot meal… Ask me for a blanket and a place by the fire. Just ask and these things can be yours…if the price is right."

Callen smirked as he stared back at Bart. "What price? Money? Sorry, I don't have any on me at the moment. Unless…is there an ATM around here?"

Bart chuckled. "Humor in spite of adversity…I like it, but seriously, there are other things besides money. I actually have little use for any more of that. I've got more than enough. However, you could perform little jobs…little tasks… Such things would be invaluable to me."

"Why don't you just spell it out?" Callen asked angrily. He'd had more than enough of this fool. "What is it you want?"

"It could be fun to see you kill one of your teammates. I'd like that quite a bit actually. You could pick who. I don't imagine you'd want to kill your partner, probably not the lady either. That leaves Detective Deeks. He's already been shot, hasn't he? Probably wouldn't take too much to finish him off."

Callen gave Bart an incredulous look. "Wow…" he said, shaking his head. "If you actually think I'd kill one of my friends for a blanket or something to eat, you're even crazier than I thought you were."

"Insolent pup," Bart snarled. "Take him and tie him to a tree," he said to the men holding him. "Over there." He pointed to a tree on the outskirts of the camp, a good distance away from the fire. "Make sure he doesn't get the slightest bit of warmth and be sure to bind him very tightly. Don't worry about making him comfortable, just keep him secure. He's a valuable pawn in our little game. We wouldn't want him to get away."

xxxxx

"How are you feeling?" Kensi asked as she pulled the blanket covering Deeks tighter around him and caressed the side of his face.

"I've been better," Deeks replied.

"Are you in a lot of pain?" Kensi asked, her concern obvious as she looked back at him. "I wish I could do something to make you feel better."

"It's not that, baby," Deeks said, shaking his head. "I just can't stop thinking about Callen…"

"I know…" Kensi crawled under the blanket with Deeks and pulled another blanket on top of them before she snuggled against him. "I don't know how Sam's going to be able to get through this…He's been through so much already…"

Deeks glanced over at where Sam was lying, alone, away from them. In the darkness, he couldn't really see him all that clearly, but he could imagine what he was feeling. The losses that Sam had suffered in the last few months were brutal and heart wrenching blows. "We'll help him, Kens…" he said softly. "We'll do anything we can to help him."

Kensi nodded, but she didn't think helping Sam would be an easy task. For herself, she was, mostly unsuccessfully, trying hard not to think about Callen. This wasn't the proper time or place to mourn his loss. There would be time for that later, if and when they managed to survive. Callen's death only proved to show just how vulnerable they all were in this situation and she was very scared for Deeks. She knew he was being brave for her, but she knew he was in pain, even if he wasn't admitting it. She also knew his condition could worsen at any time which frightened her more than anything.

xxxxx

Callen stared at the fire as he tried not to think about how miserable he was. Bart's henchmen had done exactly as Bart had asked. They had bound him exceedingly tightly so that there was not the slightest chance of escape. He couldn't move at all, except for his legs, which he shifted and bent periodically to try to keep them from stiffening up the way the rest of his body had stiffened. He hurt so badly. The pain in his ribs, which he'd been trying to ignore ever since Burke had punched him a couple of days ago, had intensified dramatically after his stint in the river. And he was just so damn cold. He was trying very hard to mentally transport himself into another time and place, but it really wasn't working very well. Knowing that warmth and food were right there, just out of his reach, was torturous.

xxxxx

Sam could hear Deeks' and Kensi's soft murmurings in the background. He didn't know what they were saying, but he was pretty sure that he and Callen were the main topic of their conversation. He still couldn't really believe what had happened. Tears brimmed in his eyes once again as he thought of his partner's fate. "I'm so sorry, G…" he whispered. It seemed he kept failing the people he loved most in this world. First Michelle, and now G. He hadn't been able to find his wife in time to save her and now, when G had needed him most, he hadn't had his partner's back. He honestly didn't know what he would do without him.

xxxxx

A sharp kick to the side of his leg caused Callen to awaken. He was surprised he'd been able to sleep at all, but evidently exhaustion had won out over being cold and in pain. "Good morning, Agent Callen," Bart said exuberantly, a big smile on his face. "Did you sleep well? In all honesty, you look like crap."

Callen sluggishly looked up at Bart and saw the man was holding a camera. What the hell was this about?

"Say cheese!" Bart said as he aimed the camera and took a picture of Callen. He then looked into the view finder to inspect the picture. "Oh this is wonderful," he gushed. "Henrietta is going to love seeing her lead agent battered and tied to a tree. I have to say, this doesn't exactly inspire confidence in NCIS personnel. She may need to rethink her hiring process. Can you imagine a picture like this on a recruiting poster?" Bart chuckled gleefully. "That would be priceless."

A million things to say went through Callen's head, but he knew saying any of them would only bring about consequences that wouldn't be good, so he remained silent.

"So, how are you doing?" Bart cooed, oozing false sympathy as he smiled down at the helpless agent. "You must be really hungry by now. I bet a delicious breakfast of eggs, toast and hash brown potatoes would hit the spot, wouldn't it? Hell, you haven't had anything to drink either, have you? Well, except for all the water you swallowed when you were taking your bath in the river." He leaned down and touched Callen's shirt. "Still wet. That can't feel very good. I imagine it'll dry in the sunshine today though. You're a lucky man. You're going to warm right up."

"Go to hell," Callen snarled, unable to keep quiet any longer.

"I imagine I will go there someday…" Bart said thoughtfully as he nodded. "But not today, and I'm not one of those people who worries about the future, so let's just move past that. We have a lot to do this morning. Preparations must be made. Don't you run away now, you hear? I'll be back with a very special surprise chosen especially for you."

xxxxx

"G?" Sam called out when he first awoke and didn't see his partner anywhere. It only took him a couple of moments to remember what had occurred…that Callen was gone. He glanced over at Deeks and Kensi who still appeared to be asleep and he vowed to do everything he could to protect the two of them from this lunatic and his so-called game. He would kill Bart and whoever else he needed to kill to make sure they were okay. He hadn't been able to protect G. He had no intention of making that mistake again.

xxxxx

"Ooooh…" Deeks groaned softly as his eyes opened and he gained an acute awareness of the intense, burning pain in his shoulder, once again.

"Deeks?" Kensi sat up and put her hand on his forehead, not looking at all happy.

"I'm okay," he said, easily recognizing how scared and worried she was.

"I know you are…" she said, forcing a smile.

"How are you two doing this morning?" Sam asked as he came over to them, his eyes on Deeks.

"We're good, Sam," Deeks said.

"I think he may be running a fever," Kensi informed him.

"I'm going to take a look at your shoulder, okay Deeks?" Sam said as Deeks nodded his assent. Sam proceeded to carefully unwrap his shoulder and gently removed the bandage from the surface of the wound. The edges of the wound were a dark red and there was a little bit of pus in the wound as well… not good signs. Sam wished he had access to a fire, knowing that warm compresses could be helpful in trying to draw some of the infection out. "I'm going to leave this open for a little while to see if it can drain. He then poured some cool water onto a gauze pad and place it on Deeks' forehead. "Just lie here quietly for now, Deeks. Do you think you're going to be up to walking today?"

Deeks nodded. "I don't plan on staying here, that's for sure. I'll be fine, Sam."

"How are you doing?" Kensi asked Sam, looking at him sadly.

Sam shook his head, his eyes full of despair and emptiness. "I just can't believe he's gone," he said softly. "I'm going to kill these maggots for what they've put us through…and especially for what they did to G..."

Deeks nodded somberly. "I'm onboard with that," he said, his blue eyes intense as he looked back at Sam. "We'll do it for Callen."

"We'll do it for Callen" echoed Kensi. "Bart's the one who made up all the rules. I say we beat him at his own game, no matter what."


	11. Chapter 11

_Thanks so much for all the nice comments on this story. It is so much appreciated and means a lot to me. This chapter is pretty cliffhanger-ish again lol. Anyhow, hope you enjoy :)_

xxxxx

Callen watched two of Bart's men who appeared to be drawing or writing on large pieces of cardboard. He couldn't help but wonder what Bart's latest brainstorm was. This freak needed to be back in prison or better yet, dead, as soon as it could be accomplished.

"Are you teaching an art class?" Callen asked as Bart approached. "I wouldn't mind taking part in it. I'm always looking to expand my creativity." The pain from being bound so tightly and for so long was nearly unbearable. He wasn't sure how much more he could stand.

Bart didn't crack a smile. "I want to know what happened to my men," he said.

"Your men? Aren't they right over there?" Callen asked, his expression the picture of innocence.

"Don't toy with me, Agent Callen. If you do, I'll send Burke over here and let him have his way with you. He's an ex MMA fighter and his punches have proven lethal to others in the past." Callen looked uneasily at Burke who was smiling evilly, a short distance away from them. Burke waved at Callen, as his smile growing into a full-fledged laugh. "You know who I'm talking about."

"They're dead," Callen replied.

"I figured that out for myself," Bart stated. "How did you kill them?"

"With a rifle… One of their rifles."

"And who killed them?"

"I did."

"Both of them?"

Callen nodded. "Yes, I killed both of them," he said matter-of-factly.

Bart shook his head skeptically. "I don't believe you."

"Believe what you want," Callen said. "It doesn't matter to me." He certainly wasn't about to throw Sam under the bus for killing Bart's men.

"And what did you do with the bodies?"

"They went down the river."

"And I suppose you had no help with that either?"

Callen just shrugged.

"Those men had families, lives beyond this job. They didn't deserve what you did to them."

Callen shook his head in disbelief. "Are you really this crazy or is this some kind of a joke? You're the one who initiated this whole thing. This game certainly wasn't our idea. You're the one who set the rules. Kill or be killed. In case you forgot, we're here against our will. If anyone is to blame for your men being dead, it's you."

"You know…I was going to reconsider and allow you to have some breakfast this morning," Bart said. "But now, because of your smart-ass attitude, I'm not going to."

"Well, I don't really believe you were going to do that anyway," Callen said. "So I guess we're a just a couple of non-believers."

"I was actually beginning to feel a little bit bad about what I'm going to have to do with you, but now…I'm pretty sure that you deserve it." Bart then turned and walked back to his men who were still writing on the cardboard squares.

"I don't believe you felt bad either! And you don't **_have_** to do anything with me either. I do believe you're delusional though," Callen shouted angrily. He'd had just about enough of Bart, enough of being tied up, enough of this whole damn thing. He wondered if his team was at all close to coming upon this campsite. He just hoped they didn't completely miss it. It was far enough from the river that it could be a very definite possibility. He just prayed that they would discover the camp without being uncovered themselves. The thought of his team coming into camp, guns blazing, was the only thing that was keeping him from losing it entirely.

xxxxx

After Sam had left Deeks' wound exposed to the open air for a short time, he rinsed it with a copious amount of water and then used some more sterile saline before re-dressing the wound. "There you go, Deeks," Sam said. "Are you two ready to get moving?"

"Thanks, Sam," Deeks replied with a nod. "I'm ready. How about you, Kens?" he asked.

Kensi nodded as she grabbed the canteens and flung the straps over her shoulder as well as one of the rifles. "I'm all set, Sam. Let's go."

xxxxx

Callen was left alone for about a half hour before Bart approached him again, accompanied by another man who was carrying a large duffle bag. Callen was immediately apprehensive, sensing that something was up and he was relatively certain, whatever it was, did not bode well for him.

"Agent Callen, I'd like you to meet Michael Shaughnessy. He's one of the finest explosive experts around. Graduated top of his class from M.I.T. You should consider it a great compliment that I've chosen him to work with you."

"Nice to meet you, Agent Callen," Shaughnessy said with a grin. He was young and small, very thin with glasses, looking very much like the stereotypical definition of a nerd. "I hear you're going to experience some of my work first hand. Bart has told me a lot about you. I'm honored to have been chosen to...well…" He blushed and turned his head away, then stared down at the ground.

"To kill me?" Callen asked coldly, staring at Shaughnessy, flabbergasted. He was really beginning to wish the sniper who had shot at him the previous afternoon had been truer with his aim. At least he likely wouldn't have even known what hit him. Every one of these guys was a damn psycho. How the hell had Bart managed to find them all? Was there a Psycho for Hire network that he was totally unaware of? He couldn't help his sudden attack of nerves. This kind of a threat was one he had no real defense against.

Bart smiled at Callen. "What's the matter?" he asked him. "Suddenly, you're not looking as smug as you were before. Don't you like the idea of being blown into a million pieces?"

"Go to hell," Callen said.

Bart shook his head sadly. "You've already said that to me today…I would have thought you'd have a bit more originality. Even telling me to fuck off would have packed more of a punch, I think. Not very original either, but better than saying the exact same thing…I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed. In any case, I'll leave you to do your work, Michael."

Bart started to walk away and Callen's mind started going a mile a minute as he tried to think of something he could say to this kid to persuade him to help him. Suddenly, Bart turned around and then returned. He proceeded to pull a long piece of cloth out of his pocket. "I don't think Michael wants to be disturbed as he works." He tied a large knot in the middle of the cloth and jammed it into Callen's mouth, then tightly tied the ends of the cloth around his head. "There…now he won't be bothering you, Michael. Let me know when you're done."

"Sure thing, boss," Michael said, smiling, as he opened up the duffel bag and began to pull out some of the items it contained.

xxxxx

Sam walked slowly, setting an almost leisurely pace, in an attempt to not tire Deeks too quickly. His thoughts were all over the place as he was assaulted by a flood of memories he found impossible to keep at bay. He remembered back to the first time Callen had met his family. Michelle had wanted to meet his partner for the longest time, but Callen had kept making excuses, until that day she had shown up at work unexpectedly and cornered his partner.

 _"Good afternoon. Are you Agent Callen?" Michelle asked, her eyes piercing, as she stood in front of Callen's desk, seemingly having arrived out of the blue._

 _"Yes, I'm Agent Callen."_

 _"I'm Michelle Hanna. Sam tells me you refuse to come to our home to meet me and our children. Is there some reason for this? I'm not sure what I could have done to offend you since we've never even met until now. Have I done something to offend you, Agent Callen? Or is it my children who offend you? Do you dislike children? Is that it?"_

 _Callen stared at Michelle, his cheeks flushed, looking somewhat shell shocked as she talked on and on. Sam had been amused by Callen's plight at first, but had finally taken pity on his partner. "Michelle, I think that G's calendar finally opened up, didn't it?" he asked Callen. "You'll be able to join us Friday night?"_

 _Callen quickly nodded. "Yes, yes Friday night sounds perfect."_

 _"Wonderful," Michelle smiled at Callen. "Six o'clock sharp. Don't be late." She had then kissed her husband goodbye and had left the office as quickly as she had come._

 _On Friday night, Sam's doorbell had rung and he had opened the door to find his nervous-appearing partner, wearing dress pants with a shirt and tie, holding flowers and two giftwrapped boxes. "Hey G, come on in." He had stepped aside so Callen could enter the house. The two men had then walked into the living room. This is my son, Aiden and that little one is my daughter, Kamran."_

 _"Nice to meet you, sir," Aiden said politely._

 _"It's nice to meet you too, Aiden," Callen said, handing him a box. "This is for you, and you can just call me Callen."_

 _"Thank you, Callen," Aiden said as he took the box. "Can I open it, dad?"_

 _Sam nodded his assent and Aiden eagerly tore into the box, pulling out a dump truck moments later. "It's awesome. Thank you!" he said, delighted with the unexpected gift._

 _Kamran had just sat on the floor gaping up at him until Callen handed her one of the boxes he was carrying. She had squealed in delight, pounding on the box with her hands until Callen had helped her open it. "Doggy!" she had screamed when the floppy-eared stuff dog was finally revealed._

Kamran still had that dog to this day. It was a little bit tattered with its worn off patches of fur and one ear which had been practically ripped off his head, but skillfully sewn back together by Michelle. Sam knew that Kamran wouldn't dream of parting from it though, no matter how old and battered it was. Both children loved their Uncle Callen, but Kamran had always been especially attached to him. His daughter had had a rough summer after the death of her mom, but things had been a little better for her since she had gone away to school. Now, Sam was going to have to break the news to her of Callen's death. He knew she was going to be devastated.

 _Sam had left Callen to get acquainted with the children and had gone into the kitchen where his wife was putting the finishing touches on their meal. "I think you're going to have to lighten up on my partner," he said with a chuckle as he put his arms around her playfully. "He's out there with gifts and flowers, wearing a tie. I'd say you scared the daylights out of him."_

 _"Oh Sam, you're kidding, aren't you?" she asked, looking dismayed by his joking accusation. She had then gone out into the living room and Callen had given her the flowers. By the time the night ended, she had gotten him to loosen up considerably and also lose the tie, much to her relief._

 _"Your partner is adorable, Sam," Michelle said as they had lain in bed together that night. "He really doesn't have a girlfriend? I find that hard to believe."_

 _"Should I be worried that you're talking about my adorable partner while you're in bed with me?" Sam asked in amusement. "No, he doesn't have a girlfriend and no, we're not matching him up with any of your friends. Are you trying to scare him away for good?"_

 _"Of course not," Michelle replied. "He was very sweet with the children though, especially with Kamran. Did you notice? It wasn't what I expected."_

 _Sam nodded. "I did notice." He grinned at Michelle. "Guess we may have ourselves a new babysitter."_

 _That night had been the first step toward his partner and his wife becoming the best of friends and of Callen becoming a part of their family._

Once again, Sam felt the tears in his eyes as he realized he had now lost his partner as well as his wife. Two people who had been so important to him were both gone from his life, quickly and unexpectedly. Just a few days ago, he and Callen had been making plans to see a Clippers game on the weekend, now he couldn't remember ever feeling as lonely as he did right now.

xxxxx

Callen had watched with increasing trepidation as Michael had constructed a complex structure of criss-crossed wires around him, all connected to one device which he placed by Callen's side. "Now you don't want to move your legs, Agent Callen," Michael informed him. "If you touch that wire just above them, well…I think you get the picture…kaboom." He looked at Callen apologetically. "I really am sorry about this. Bart has been great to me though and when he asked me for this one favor, well…I couldn't very well refuse him. He's provided funding for me to have my own lab. It's a dream come true for someone like me. I'm going to be moving on to bigger and better things very, very soon. One day I'll be a household name." Michael's eyes were glowing and he sounded power hungry, the way he was talking. At first, he had appeared to be very non-threatening, but now Callen was sure he was anything but that. "In any case…it's possible you'll get out of this…improbable, but possible…" He then carefully maneuvered his way out between the wires, leaving Callen alone in the middle of what was basically a death trap.

Bart walked over, grinning like a Cheshire cat as he inspected Callen's predicament. "Oh Michael…this is superb," he gushed, patting the young man's back. "You see why I hired him?" he asked Callen. "A true mastermind at his craft. I love surrounding myself with brilliant and creative minds. It's just so inspiring. Now, we're going to take our leave of this area. I want to send off your picture to Henrietta and take care of a few little things. Michael has important work to do so I need to get him back to his lab. But I just have to get a picture of this too." He raised the camera he was carrying and took a quick shot. "Henrietta will just die when she sees it!"

Bart paused to take a breath before he went on. "So, up until now, I admit I've been playing with your team a bit. You really haven't proven to be the challenge I had expected. Hopefully, with the addition of rifles, your remaining team members will step thing up a bit. If not, well, they'll be dead relatively quickly. Perhaps I'll see you again, but most likely not. You'll probably be best served by keeping awake. If you move your legs in your sleep…well…there won't be very much left of you, maybe just a finger or toe scattered here or there. Might be a nice thing for your partner to preserve and keep, if he's into souvenirs. It wouldn't be my taste, but everybody's different. Good day, Agent Callen. Enjoy the rest of your day and/or life."

xxxxx

They had been walking for a couple of hours and Deeks was already having a difficult time keeping up. He knew that Sam was setting a slow, deliberate pace, which made him feel even worse about things. Basically, he just felt lousy. His shoulder was throbbing and he just felt tired and weak and he'd stumbled once or twice as well. He knew he was holding them up.

"Deeks? Do you want to take a break?" Kensi asked.

He really wished she wouldn't keep looking at him in that worried way that made him feel guilty for being the cause of her distress. "I'm good, baby," he said, forcing a bright smile onto his face. Kensi nodded, but he could tell he wasn't fooling her. He wasn't going to stop trying though.

Suddenly up ahead, Sam stopped short. "What's he doing?" Kensi asked.

"It looks like he's staring at a tree," Deeks whispered back. The two came up behind Sam and saw that he wasn't staring at a tree, but rather a sign on a tree which read: "CALLEN DEAD OR ALIVE?" with an arrow pointing further into the forest.

"What the hell?" Sam said, shaking his head grimly. The three team members were all thinking about the same thing, when Tahir had hijacked Michelle's body. "They must have found him," Sam said with a catch in his voice. He couldn't bear the thought of these sick bastards having G's body.

"Or they're just playing us," Deeks said.

"What if it's a trap?" Kensi asked.

"You two can stay here," Sam said gruffly. "I'll be back."

"Wait, Sam," Kensi grabbed his upper arm. "We just need to be smart about this. We can't just go carelessly rushing in there. She turned to Deeks. "You should stay here though."

Deeks shook his head. "No way."

"Deeks, please," Kensi said. You can't handle a rifle. We don't even have enough to go around."

"I don't care, Kensi," Deeks stated. "I'm going with you."

"Look, I don't care who's going or who's staying, but I'm not waiting," Sam said impatiently as he started to walk in the direction the arrow had been pointing. Kensi and Deeks both followed along behind him. It wasn't long before they came upon the next sign. "YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK!"

"This guy is a real sick fucker," Deeks mumbled as he glanced at Sam's face. The man looked positively tortured.

The next sign had no words. It just showed a stick figure, a tree and a bunch of lines everywhere. "What do you think it means?" Kensi asked, looking puzzled.

"They're probably just messing with us," Deeks said. "Let's keep going."

xxxxx

Callen didn't know what to do. He was in so much pain and he really saw no way out of this situation. If his team was to find him, he would never want them to risk their lives to try to save him. There was only one solution. Michael's words reverberated in his head. The wire above his legs was the only possibility. He knew it would be fast, likely instantaneous death. The only thing keeping him from doing it was his team finding out what he had done. He knew it would eat at them, especially Sam. There was no doubt they would hear the explosion, but if he wanted to protect them, it was what he needed to do. He finally made up his mind. Hopefully, they would just think it was an accident, that he'd accidentally hit the trip wire. He took a deep breath as he tried to get up the courage to do what needed to be done. He slowly began to raise his leg, but then he saw them and he knew he had lost his chance. He could never do it now.

xxxxx

Looks like a clearing up ahead," Sam stated. "Be careful." This was looking more and more like a trap. They could walk into the clearing, out into the open, and be easily ambushed. When they got to the edge of the clearing though, all three stopped short and stared in shock at the figure at the opposite side of the clearing. He wasn't moving but they couldn't tell if it was because he was tied up or if he was dead.

"G!" Sam shouted as he began to run. Luckily, no gunshots were fired in his direction and Kensi and Deeks went after him, at a slower pace, as Kensi kept a careful lookout for anything suspicious. Finally, they arrived at the location where Sam was standing, but he had not approached his partner any further. One look told them why. Callen had moved his head and was staring back at them, obviously very much alive. However, it didn't look like he would remain that way for long, trapped in the midst of what appeared to be a complex booby trap of trip wires rigged to explode.

"It's going to be okay, G," Sam called out to him, trying to hide the horror he was feeling at his partner's plight. "We're going to get you out of this."

Callen nodded, but his eyes looked scared, not that any of them could blame him.

"Does this remind you of anything, Kens?" Deeks asked, sharing an uneasy look with her. He could see that she remembered as well as he did. It wasn't something easily forgotten…the time when she had been trapped in the explosive laser room and the two of them had barely escaped with their lives.


	12. Chapter 12

_As always, the support you've given this story is wonderful and I appreciate it more than I can say. Please remember that I'm in no way pretending any of this stuff is particularly realistic and it should be taken with a grain of salt. Hopefully, its at least somewhat entertaining. Thanks for reading (and no cliffhanger this time!) :)_

xxxxx

"What do you think, Sam?" Kensi asked as she and Deeks watched him walk around the perimeter of the wire structure.

Sam slowly shook his head. "I don't know…it looks simple enough to disarm, but it's the placement that's the problem. He glanced at his partner and didn't even bother to ask him if there was any chance of him getting loose. He was tied up really well and Sam wondered if he was even able to walk at this point. He also knew that he, himself, was much too big to try to get through some of the spaces. He'd blow them up for sure.

"I can get in there, Sam," Kensi said. "I'll be able to. I'm small enough. I can get through it. Once I have, I'll tell you what it looks like and we'll figure out the best way to disarm it."

Deeks really didn't want her to do it, but he knew he had to keep his thoughts to himself. They couldn't just leave Callen here and Kensi was the obvious choice to try. He knew he wasn't in the proper physical shape to try to undertake it himself. It didn't mean he had to like it though. One wrong move…he couldn't let his thoughts go there. He had to believe she'd be fine.

Sam looked over at his partner who was shaking his head with a pleading look in his eyes. "We have to try, G," he said.

"I can do this, Callen," Kensi said to him with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. It's going to be alright."

"Are you sure about this?" Deeks asked, grabbing her and pulling her towards him. "Maybe…maybe there's another way?"

"What other way, Deeks?" Kensi asked softly as she gazed into his eyes. "It's not like we can get the bomb squad out here. This is what we do. You know I have to do it. I don't want anything to happen to him."

Deeks looked up towards the sky and then back at Kensi. "I know, but…" He pulled her in for a kiss and then released her, but still gazed at her intently. "Please, please, please be careful."

"I will. You're going to need a nurse once we get out of this mess and I'm planning to fill that position. I'll be alright, Deeks, I promise."

xxxxx

As Callen watched Kensi, readying herself for this do or die mission, he wished he could talk to her. He wanted to tell her it was okay for her not to do this. He didn't know what he'd do if she got blown up, but he guessed he wouldn't do much of anything, because he would be blown up as well. If only he'd made the decision sooner to activate the trip wire, but he'd been too wishy washy about it and now…now they might all lose their lives because of it. Sam and Deeks weren't moving away either. That was just wrong. He thought once more about just kicking the wire but they were too close now anyway. He wished Sam and Deeks would move out of harm's way. Sam had Kam and Aiden to think about. He stared at Sam, his eyes filled with anxiety for his friends. "It's going to be okay, G," Sam told him. "It's going to be okay…"

xxxxx

Kensi stripped down to her undergarments. She didn't want to chance that any loose clothing would possibly touch against a wire. She then removed her boots and Sam handed her the small scissors that had been with the first aid supplies. The three men watched with bated breath as she began to take her first step into the maze of wires. She stepped over a low wire and then began to duck under a higher wire. "Just a little bit lower, Kensi," Deeks said, quietly guiding her. She did as he said and was able to stand. She then tried to figure out her best bet to get further inside.

"Over to your right, Kensi," Sam said after he studied the trap for the best angle. "That opening is pretty big."

"Just watch yourself when you get past it," Deeks said. "Some of the wires look pretty tight inside there."

"Wait Kensi," Sam stated, considering what Deeks had just said. "Do you think she's better off to the left? There's less room to maneuver, but once she gets through there, she'll be able to move more."

"I think that's a better idea, Kens," Deeks said, but you've got a different perspective from us. Go with your gut."

Kensi nodded and she went to her left. She was now very close to Callen and to the device beside him. Now that she could see it more clearly, she realized it might not be as simple to disarm as it had appeared from further away. "It's going to be okay," she said softly as their eyes met. He nodded, praying that she was right. For his part, he wanted to talk so badly. It was making him crazy that he had no input at all into what was happening. At the very least, he wanted Kensi to know how much he appreciated what she was doing for him. That he had the complete loyalty and backing of his team…that they would basically do anything for him…it meant the world to him. It was something he never thought he'd have in life.

The next move would be the final one and she would be with Callen. She took a deep breath, recognizing it was tricky. She bent at the waist and then gracefully twisted her body to avoid the place where two wires narrowed towards each other. She then lifted her left foot above a lower wire and then her right foot and she had done it. She then looked down at the device. Some of it she understood, but there was another part which appeared complicated to her. There were some striped wires connected in a way she had never really seen before.

"Kensi? Ungag him!" Sam desperately wanted to hear his partner's voice. Also, G could have knowledge that could be of help to them. Kensi nodded and Callen bowed his head so she could untie the knot behind his head. He breathed a sigh of relief when it was removed.

"Thank you," Callen said, looking up at her gratefully and Kensi knew he wasn't only talking about the gag.

"You're welcome," she replied with a soft smile.

"G?" Sam called over to him and Callen gazed back at his partner. "Did they say anything that might be of help to us?"

Callen shook his head. "Bart had some hotshot M.I.T. graduate make up this contraption, a regular little genius. He knew what he was doing, Sam."

"Don't worry…" Kensi said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure it out."

Callen shook his head. "Listen, Kens…if you're not sure, if you're not damn sure…I want you to get out of this mess the same way you got into it. Maneuver your way out and don't look back." He knew there was no way in hell he would be able to do it. He was so weak and his body wracked with pain. He honestly didn't even know if he could walk. He certainly couldn't twist himself into a pretzel to get out of this.

"We're getting out of this together," Kensi said. She couldn't even imagine not doing everything in her power to save him. She knew she would never forgive herself if she was to walk away without trying to help him. She then turned to Sam, after giving Deeks a reassuring smile, and began to explain to him the circuitry she was looking at on the device.

Callen tried to turn his head so that he could get a look at it, but it was a little bit out of his field of vision and he couldn't even catch a glimpse of it. It was just another in a series of frustrations. He listened as Sam and Kensi went back and forth over what was the best strategy, the best chance of success. The striped wires and the way they were connected seemed to be puzzling to Sam which made Callen nervous. He didn't want Kensi to take a chance with her own and the lives of the team just to attempt to save him. Finally, Sam came up with a strategy for Kensi to follow, but he didn't look sure and Kensi's own eyes were apprehensive as she prepared to cut the first wire. "Kens…" Callen said, staring at her, his blue eyes filled with emotion. "Please…please just go. Think of Deeks. Think of your life together."

"Callen…" Kensi said, trying hard to keep her voice calm for his and for her own benefit. "Look at me and tell me that you would leave me here, tied to a tree, that you would walk away and never look back. Tell me that the sound of that explosion taking my life wouldn't haunt you for the rest of your life, that you wouldn't care that I was dead, that it wouldn't bother you that you could have been the one to save me, but you didn't even try."

Callen bowed his head, unable to even conceive of such a notion. He could never leave her that way. He would never be able to leave any member of his team under such circumstances. It was humbling to realize they felt the same way about him.

"It's going to be okay," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder and then turning back to her task as Callen held his breath and wondered what it would feel like to be blown into a million pieces.

xxxxx

Kensi smiled back at Deeks one last time, then went to cut the first wire she and Sam had agreed upon, yellow with blue stripes. The first aid scissors weren't meant for this task and she struggled, but finally managed to saw her way through it. She breathed a sigh of relief when all remained quiet. Then, two more sequential cuts were made to a silver wire, then white with red stripes. She thought she was done, but there were no warning lights or anything like that to really signify that they were safe.

"Now what?" she called over to Sam.

Sam took a deep breath as he approached the crisscrossed wire booby trap. "Now we test it," he said as he stood just on the outside of it. He looked down at his partner and gave him a look of encouragement.

Callen shook his head, his eyes tormented. "No. All of you, listen to me. Please just get out of here," he begged. "Sam, think of your children. They can't lose another parent. Please… If you care about me at all, you'll do this for me." He then turned and looked at Kensi pleadingly. "You've done everything you could to help me, Kens…Now I want you to get out of here…get out of this trap, go with Sam and Deeks and get a safe distance away. Then I will test this out. There's nothing else you can do for me. Sacrificing yourselves makes no sense at all. Think of your futures. Whether or not this works out, I'll forever be grateful that you risked your lives for me. Now please, go…"

Kensi turned around and looked at Deeks who nodded as did Sam. She then looked back down at Callen. "I…I need to untie you," she said with a catch in her voice.

He shook his head. "Please just go. Please?"

"I love you," she said as she leaned down and gave him a gentle hug.

"I love you too," he said. He then watched with great relief as she did what he had asked her to do and began to carefully make her way back out of the maze. Once she had reached safety with Sam and Deeks, he smiled, so grateful that they were doing as he had asked.

"I love you," Kensi repeated, her eyes filled with tears as she quickly dressed and gathered her things together.

Sam stared at his partner, his eyes filled with intense sadness. "G…I…" He didn't want to leave him, couldn't bear the thought of what might possibly happen. "Why didn't you let her untie you?"

Callen shook his head. "There's no way I can do what she did, big guy," he said quietly. "I'm going to need help just to stand up…you can come and help me when this is over with, okay?"

Sam nodded his head, but Callen could see his partner was having a hard time keeping it together. "You did everything you could, Sam," he whispered. "I love you. If…if this doesn't go the way we want it to…tell Hetty…well, you know how I feel…You'll know what to say to her and to the wonder twins." He inhaled deeply and shakily exhaled. "You guys better leave. Let's just get this over with…"

"Alright, G…" Sam said, his eyes beginning to fill with tears. "You know…you know…" He swallowed hard not able to continue.

"I do know, Sam…" Callen said, solemnly. "You're my brother…always will be…"

Sam pounded his chest with his fist and then began walking slowly away, backwards, refusing to take his eyes off his partner. Kensi was openly crying. Deeks kept his arm around her as they walked, trying to keep his own emotions under wrap. Their nerves were heightened, every muscle in their bodies tensed in anticipation of a possible impending explosion that would tell them that this time, Callen really was dead.

xxxxx

Callen watched as his friends walked away, but Sam kept his eyes focused on him. It made him feel somewhat better that if he was to leave this world now, Sam's face would be the last thing he'd see. Once they were far enough away, he focused on what he had to do. His breathing grew faster and heavier as he tried to get up the nerve to do it. He didn't want to die, but he felt like he'd been given no choice in the matter. He slowly began to lift his leg as he stared back at Sam who was now on the other end of the clearing. Finally, with a fast and jerky movement, he forced his leg roughly against the wire, then looked up at the sky and said a silent thank you when nothing happened.

xxxxx

Bart watched the small black and white screen, fascinated by what he had seen. "Very nice, Agent Blye," he said, nodding in approval. "It seems she saved your ass, Agent Callen. You should be very grateful indeed."

"I can't believe she managed to get through that and disarm it," Michael said, watching in dismay.

"It's fine, Michael. Really it is," Bart said with a reassuring smile. This at least shows me that they're worth my time and maybe they will prove to be a challenge after all. Also, the video surveillance you've set up throughout the forest is beyond reproach. I can't tell you how pleasing it is to me that I know where they are at all times and they think they're outwitting me in some way." He laughed uproariously.

"I'm just sorry that the trap wasn't successful," Michael said, his eyes downcast.

"Not to worry my boy. Agent Callen and his team will be taken care of, all in good time…all in good time."

xxxxx

"He did it," Sam was overjoyed as he took off across the clearing in a rush to get to his partner. When he got to the trap he pushed and kicked the wires down to the ground and was quickly at Callen's side. "You did it, buddy. You did it," he said as he began to untie the tight ropes binding his partner to the tree.

"I didn't do anything," Callen said. "It was all Kensi...I never would have gotten out of this if it wasn't for her. Well, maybe you provided a little bit of help as well," he said, smirking at his partner.

Sam finally got Callen freed. By this time, Kensi and Deeks had arrived and were standing close by, their eyes on the other set of partners. Sam watched as Callen slowly bent his legs at the knees grimacing at the stiffness and soreness he felt. He then painstakingly moved his arms. It was when he went to try to stand that he felt the stabbing pain shooting through his side and chest and he paled considerably. "What Is it?" Sam asked.

"Just my ribs," Callen gasped.

"Let me help you," Sam said as he leaned down and gently pulled Callen to his feet, then took him into his arms for a heartfelt but gentle hug. "You can't imagine how glad I am that you're okay, G," he whispered. "I really thought you were dead."

"I'm going to be fine," Callen said, forcing a smile as Sam continued to support him.

Kensi approached Callen and he reached for her. "I don't know how to thank you," he said as she embraced him.

"No thanks necessary," she said. "I'm just so happy we got to you."

"Me too, man," Deeks said, gently clapping Callen's shoulder. "You scared the life out of us."

"Let's get out of here," Sam stated. "It's getting late. We should try to find a place to spend the night. Deeks looked practically asleep on his feet. He was being unnaturally quiet and Sam knew that G wasn't in good shape either.

Sam gently put his arm around Callen as he took his first step and Callen's legs almost went out from under him. "Whoa, G," Sam said as he used both arms to catch and steady his partner. "Do you need to rest more before we head out?"

Callen shook his head. "No, I'm okay. Just give me a sec." He tried to steady himself, fighting against the weakness and rubbery feeling he felt in his legs. Finally, he felt strong enough to try again. "Okay…let's go." He tentatively took one step and then another. Eventually, he was able to go on with a slow, but relatively continuous pace, leaning heavily on Sam as he walked.

"Are you doing okay, Deeks?" Kensi asked. He hadn't said much, ever since she had made her way back out of the booby trap.

Deeks nodded. "I'm good, baby," he said with a faint smile. "Just a bit tired."

"I don't think we'll be going too far," she stated, trying to keep his spirits up. "I don't think Callen has it in him right now."

Deeks nodded. He understood where Callen was coming from. He really didn't really have it in him either.


	13. Chapter 13

_As always, thanks for reading and reviewing. Hope you all have a great rest of the week._

xxxxx

"Sam, can we take a break?" Callen didn't like asking, nor did he like the slight tremor that was in his voice, but he thought if he took one more step he was going to face plant right onto the ground.

"Of course," Sam looked at his partner and saw that his complexion was very pale and his face was covered with perspiration. "I'm sorry, G," he said, realizing his friend was by no means up for hiking through the woods at the moment. He should have recognized it sooner.

"It's okay, Sam," Callen said somewhat breathlessly. "I'm all right." Exhausted, he sat down heavily on the ground.

Grateful for the break, Deeks immediately did the same. His shoulder felt like it was being burned with a red hot poker. He was pretty sure whatever infection was festering in there was getting worse.

"I wish we could find something to eat." Kensi voiced the thought that all of them had had at one time or another over the past day.

"So do I," said Sam. He was unhappy that they hadn't found anything to eat in the woods. He had thought they would have come across something by now, but luck didn't seem to be with them in that regard. Actually, luck wasn't with them in any regard except for the fact that they had water. He didn't even want to think about where they would be if they didn't have that. "G? Here drink this." Sam passed his canteen over to Callen and watched as he gulped down some of the cool liquid. "Slow down," he said quietly. "There's plenty there."

"So what's our next move, Sam?" Kensi asked.

Sam shrugged. "I don't really know, just keep walking, I guess." He cast a thoughtful look at his partner and Deeks and realized neither man was in particularly good shape for whatever travels laid ahead. "But for now, I think we should just stay here for the night."

Kensi nodded and Deeks breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He knew they really ought to keep moving, but he also knew that he wasn't capable of walking much further and from the looks of Callen, he was even less capable.

"Hey Deeks?" Sam said. "While we're here, I'd like to take a look at your shoulder."

"Yeah…okay…" Deeks said reluctantly. He hated having Sam poke and prod at him, but knew if he kicked up a fuss that he would only serve to draw more attention to himself and his bullet wound. He didn't want to worry his teammates, especially Kensi, any more than he had to.

Sam went over to him and gently removed the bandage and then the dressing. He didn't change his expression as he silently rinsed the wound and then redressed and bandaged it.

"Well?" Deeks asked as both he and Kensi watched Sam carefully. "Come on, man, saying nothing makes me more nervous than if you had a horrified look on your face."

"It's infected," Sam stated, "but it doesn't look too bad…"

"Yet," Deeks finished for him.

"Don't put words in my mouth, Deeks," Sam said as he felt Deeks' forehead. Deeks rolled his eyes when Sam remained quiet once again. "I'm assuming if I didn't have a fever you'd say so."

"It's hard to tell," Sam fibbed.

"Well, I don't feel like I'm burning up or anything so it can't be that bad," Deeks said. The worst thing was just the incessant pain of his shoulder. He wished the bullet had gone right through. It would have been easier to deal with.

Sam sighed as he glanced over at his partner who had somehow managed to fall asleep sitting up. That was definitely not an ordinary occurrence for G. He went over to him and gently lowered him to the ground so that he was lying in a more comfortable position. He then covered him with a blanket. "Get some sleep, buddy," he said softly.

xxxxx

Sam silently sat, with his back resting against a tree, as he watched his partner sleep. Every so often, Callen would moan or whimper, telling Sam that he was in pain, even in his sleep. He sighed in frustration, wishing he had some kind of a pain killer he could give him so he could have rest more peacefully. He had told G he'd wake him to take a night watch shift, but he had no intention of doing so. He and Kensi had already privately discussed that they would split the night between the two of them.

"I don't think he's going anywhere," Deeks said quietly as he came up to Sam and sat down on the ground next to him. "Does he know you watch him sleep?"

"Come on, Deeks. It's not a regular occurrence. I just…"

"You're making sure that he's okay," Deeks stated. "I get it." He'd watched Kensi sleep plenty of times in his life as well.

Sam shook his head, his eyes filled with emotion as he turned away from his partner to look at Deeks. "I don't think you do get it, Deeks…not really…" he began. "When Michelle was killed, I used to wish and hope and pray every day that she would miraculously return, that I would just wake up and it would have all been just a bad dream…but that never happened."

Sam had a faraway look in his eyes as he went on. "There are so many little things I miss…a certain look, her laugh, how she was with the kids… She was so loving…so…" He sighed, lost in the moment and his memories before going on. "She was everything to me… There are so many everyday things you don't really think about, until they're gone and you realize you won't ever get to experience them again. And then, to have thought I lost G too… It was just too much. He's my best friend…my brother… I'm not sure how I would have gotten through it…I don't think I could have. Getting him back, when I was certain he was dead. It's my miracle, Deeks. I just…I can't let anything happen to him. He **_has_** to be okay."

"He will be okay, Sam," Deeks said earnestly. "We'll do everything we can to make sure we all get out of this."

Sam nodded and the two men sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Deeks now found his own eyes on Callen too. He smiled to himself, knowing how much Callen would hate this if he knew.

"And how are you doing?" Sam asked turning his eyes towards the younger detective. "Why aren't you asleep over there with Kensi?"

Deeks shrugged. "Couldn't sleep."

"Because?"

"There really doesn't have to be a reason, Sam, does there?" he asked. "Sometimes you just aren't able to sleep. You've got to admit, it was a pretty stressful day…it could have ended so badly…" Deeks looked over at Kensi and thanked God that it had ended as it had. Kensi had put her life on the line and saved Callen.

"You're right…" Sam looked over at Kensi too, glad that she seemed to be peacefully asleep. It was the least she deserved for what she had done earlier that day. "She's a brave, strong woman, Deeks," he said. "You're a lucky man."

"Don't I know it," Deeks said gruffly, a fond smile on his lips.

"I owe her…" Sam said. "I owe her big time for what she did for G."

"You don't owe anyone, Sam. She'd kick your butt if she heard you talking like that," Deeks said softly. "You know how she feels about Callen. He's like a big brother to her. Both of you are. You know she'd risk her life a hundred times over for either of you, any time, any place, the same as you would for her."

Sam nodded. "I do know that."

"I guess I'm going to try again to get some sleep," Deeks said. He really wasn't feeling all that great, but there was nothing Sam could do about it anyway. "Wake me when you want to get some rest."

"I will," Sam said with a nod, even though he had no intention of doing so. Deeks needed to sleep, whether or not he believed it. He just hoped he'd be able to find the sleep that had been eluding him so far. "And Deeks?"

"Yeah?"

"Just…don't tell him about this, okay?" Sam said, a touch of pleading in his voice. "It would just weird him out and…"

"He'll never hear it from me, man, I promise," Deeks replied solemnly. "Good night, Sam."

"Good night, Deeks…"

xxxxx

Kensi's eyes kept moving back and forth from Callen to Deeks. Sam had never tried to wake her, but she had awoken on her own at around 3 a.m. and insisted he get some sleep. Deeks finally seemed to be sleeping somewhat peacefully, at least. Callen, on the other hand, appeared to be anything but peaceful. He was tossing and turning and then he started periodically coughing which alarmed Kensi. Finally he awoke and sat up, his eyes looking a little bit dazed. "Callen?" Kensi said, watching him closely. "Are you okay?"

He turned towards her a little bit sluggishly. "Where's Sam?" he asked.

"He's right there," Kensi said, pointing to where Sam lay sleeping. "Do you need him?"

Callen shook his head as he pulled the ends of the blanket tighter against his body. "No…I…" He buried his mouth into his sleeve as he started to cough. "I don't need him." He reached for his canteen and thirstily began to drink. "How's Deeks?" he asked.

"He's hanging in there…How are you?" Kensi asked, her eyes filled with concern.

"I'll be all right," he answered.

"You really ought to try to rest," Kensi said. "Tomorrow's going to be a long day…"

"All the days are long out here," Callen said dejectedly. He knew he sounded like a child, but he couldn't seem to help it. He didn't feel well at all and the dark shadows surrounding them only served to contribute to his feeling of foreboding.

"Callen just lie down, okay?" Kensi pleaded softly. "You really need to sleep."

"It's just going to make the morning come faster," Callen said, sounding drained, but he finally did what Kensi asked and laid back down on the ground, trying to make himself at least semi-comfortable. Kensi kept a close eye on him until he fell back to sleep and then she continued watching over him and Deeks as she tried to think of some possible way for them to get out of the mess they were in, before the consequences became even more dire…


	14. Chapter 14

_So…I'm having lots of doubts about this story. On one hand I really like writing it, but on the other hand…I don't know, it seems really far-fetched and "icky" lol. I know I said it wouldn't be the most realistic, but… I guess we'll see how it goes. Just a warning for those of you looking for a more realistic type story, this isn't it. Thanks for reading…_

xxxxx

"Hetty?" Eric called softly to the operations manager who was asleep on the sofa by the bullpen. It was 2 a.m. and she hadn't been home in days, neither had Eric or Nell. They'd been consumed with worry, desperately using all their available resources as they tried to get something, some clue to tell them where their missing team members had been taken. "Hetty?" he called again louder when she didn't respond to his first call. Finally, Hetty began to stir.

"Eric?" she asked as she slowly sat up then reached for her glasses which were beside her on the sofa. Some days she felt even older than her years, if that was possible. "What is it? Has something happened?"

"We received another email," he said solemnly. "You'd better come and take a look."

Hetty didn't ask, but she knew that this newest email would not be good. She followed Eric up to Ops and forced a tight smile at Nell as she waited for Eric to project the image on the big screen. She gasped softly when she saw the first picture of Callen gagged and tied to a tree. There was bold, black lettering across the picture which said 'Agent Callen is waiting for you.' The next picture was even worse, displaying Callen still bound and gagged, but this time surrounded by a mazelike network of wires. The lettering on this one only said 'kaboom.' "Is this what I think it is?" she asked.

"It's all attached to an explosive device, Hetty," Eric said as he shook his head. "It doesn't look good…"

"Bugger," Hetty said, her expression grim. "Where are the others? Why is he alone? There are only these two photos?"

Eric nodded in response to her last question, knowing there were no answers to her first two.

Hetty had a terrible feeling of foreboding. Had something tragic already happened to the rest of the team? "Can you get anything from this at all, Eric?" she asked. "Please tell me there's something here."

"It looks like he's just out in the middle of nowhere, Hetty," Eric said. "I don't think there's any way for us to tell where he is."

Hetty found that she was unable to tear her own eyes away from Callen's. She couldn't begin to imagine what he had been going through when these photographs were taken and wondered if he was even still alive.

Eric and Nell stared at the picture closely as Eric began to zoom in closer. They tried to focus on the explosive device and not to be distracted by their emotions, which was not an easy task. After a couple of minutes, Eric noticed a tiny rectangular plate with a silver bolt of lightning engraved onto it, which was attached to the device. "I know that marking" he said softly as he stared at it.

"Eric?" Nell questioned, looking at him hopefully.

"I read about him…there was an article in a computer magazine. He calls himself The Flash. He's a hot shot techie who got involved in the explosives industry where he made quite the name for himself. He's a cocky little son of a gun…"

"What's his name?" Hetty demanded, staring up at her tech operator.

Eric thought for a few moments before coming up with it. "Shaughnessy," he said. "Michael Shaughnessy."

Hetty nodded. Finally a breadcrumb. Hopefully, it would lead them somewhere. "Find him," she said to Eric and Nell. "Find this Michael Shaughnessy as soon as you can. Maybe he can tell us what we need to know."

xxxxx

"Good morning, Kensi," Sam said softly as he came over to where Kensi had stationed herself and sat down next to her.

"Good morning, Sam," Kensi said. She was careful to keep her voice down as well, as Callen and Deeks both appeared to still be asleep.

"What is it?" Sam asked, easily able to tell from her expression that she was unhappy, not that there was anything to actually be happy about with their current situation.

Kensi shook her head slowly. "I just don't know how we're going to keep this up, Sam," she said. "For all we know, we're walking further into the wilderness. We have no clue where we are and I don't think Callen and Deeks are going to be able to keep going. They were barely able to do so yesterday and we didn't even go very far…"

Sam sighed. He knew that Kensi was right, but he wasn't really sure what the solution was. "Maybe we should try to take a stand," he said thoughtfully after a long silence. "Just find somewhere with some kind of cover and wait them out?" He doubted their chances would be very good, but with Deeks and Callen in poor shape, their choices were becoming limited.

Kensi nodded. "Maybe we'd be able to take enough of them down to make a fight of it."

Sam nodded. "All right…we'll make that our objective then. We'll try to find somewhere where we can take cover. We'll veer away from the river and start going in an eastward direction."

"Something else I think you should know," Kensi said, her gaze serious as she turned to Sam. "I think Callen's getting sick. He was coughing a lot during the night and he just seemed really miserable, not at all like himself."

Sam ran his hand over his face, not surprised to hear what Kensi had to say but dismayed to hear it just the same. "I'm going to take the canteens over to the river to refill them. We'll let them sleep a little bit longer then we'll have to get moving."

Kensi nodded, watching as Sam collected the canteens. He was just about to start in the direction of the river when the gunshot sounded, hitting one of the canteens squarely, causing Sam to drop them. Callen and Deeks awoke immediately. Kensi aimed her rifle, searching for the unseen enemy as Sam grabbed the other weapon.

"I'd put your weapons down if I were you," Bart's voice sounded from somewhere behind the thick brush of the forest. "You're totally surrounded and as you can see from my man, Gabe's expert shot, marksmanship is not going to be a problem. He could put bullets through each of your heads quicker than you can say BOO! Put the guns down now or Gabe will demonstrate his finesse by putting a bullet right between Agent Callen's eyes."

Kensi gave Sam a questioning look and he nodded in disgust as he put his own weapon down on the ground. Kensi then followed suit and put her rifle down as Bart came out from behind the trees, flanked by armed men who suddenly seemed to be everywhere. Bart then began to clap, a wide smile on his face as one of his men came over to retrieve their rifles. "I've been waiting for the chance to commend you, Agent Blye on a job well done. Your skillful maneuvering of the explosive wires that surrounded your unfortunate team leader far exceeded anything I could have expected. It was also the only real impressive feat I've witnessed from your team throughout this game, which frankly, has become somewhat of a debacle."

"How did you even see her?" Deeks asked.

"Cameras, Detective Deeks, cameras." Bart waved his arm in an upward, expansive gesture towards the trees. "An expensive, high tech system of cameras which have allowed me to watch most of the moves you've made. If you had been a bit less predictable, went away from the river or done something which used your imaginations, you'd have been out of the range of the cameras. Unfortunately though, you remained boring and exceedingly predictable in your uncreative approach to this whole game."

"You want creativity?" Sam growled. "I'll give you creativity. One-on-one, right now, you versus me. No weapons. Just man versus man. I'll twist your body in ways you never thought possible."

"Ah… a brute strength approach. So sorry, but that's not what I'm about, Agent Hanna."

"That's not what you're about?" Sam asked, "But yet you had no problem with shooting at us or trying to blow my partner up?"

Bart nodded, a bright smile on his face. "Yes, that's very true, but unfortunately, the game, as it was, has reached its conclusion."

The team members exchanged grim looks, realizing that they were totally at the mercy of Bart and his men and most likely had reached the end of their rope.

"No need to look so despairing," Bart said. "As game master, I'm allowed to change the rules of the game at any time, which is exactly what I've done. So, take heart, a whole new phase of the game is about to begin. I can just feel the excitement in the air!"

"You're a psycho," Callen said. However, immediately after speaking, he was overcome by a fit of coughing which left him somewhat breathless.

Bart shook his head, oozing with false sympathy. "I guess that romp in the river didn't do you any favors, did it, Agent Callen? Did the poor widdle agent catch a widdle cold?"

"Why don't you leave him alone?" Sam asked, seething. "Why don't you pick on me, someone who isn't hurt and sick?"

"You seem to be very, very angry today," Agent Hanna." Bart turned his attention away from Callen and moved it onto Sam. "I think it may be because you missed breakfast? After all, it is the most important meal of the day. Thus, I'm going to give you the very first turn in our new game. Perhaps you've heard of it or even played it before? It's called, 'Would You Rather?'"

"We've had enough of you and your games," Sam stated.

"Well…non-participants will be punished quite severely," Bart said. "Bullets through their brains to be exact. A very messy business. You probably wouldn't like it and the cleanup is a bitch."

"You're really sick," Deeks said in disgust.

"Don't be jealous, Detective Deeks. You will get your chance to take a turn," Bart said. "So, Agent Hanna, shall we begin? We'll start nice and easy to get our game off to a good start." Sam said nothing so Bart went on. "So, would you rather that you and your partner get to eat a nice breakfast? Or, should I give the privilege to Detective Deeks and Agent Blye and you and Agent Callen will get nothing?"

Sam seemed like he was about to speak, but then looked at Callen and appeared undecided.

"I'm not hungry, Sam," Callen stated, knowing his partner would feel guilty if he couldn't eat and he was determined to help him out.

"Neither are we," Deeks said and Kensi nodded in agreement.

"You and Callen take the food," Kensi said.

"Time's up!" Bart called out. "Agent Hanna, who do you choose?"

"Kensi and Deeks," Sam stated.

"Ryan, bring the food over here," Bart ordered. "All of you, please take a seat."

The team sat down as Ryan came over with a zipper-up cooler. He then put a red and white checkered cloth on the ground and began to spread out an assortment of muffins, pastries, small boxes of cereal, fruit, milk and orange juice. Callen immediately turned his head away, figuring if he didn't have to see the food, it wouldn't seem so damn tempting. In spite of the pain he was in, he was still almost unbearably hungry.

"Uh, uh, uh, Agent Callen," Bart said. "You need to watch the detective and Agent Blye enjoy their breakfast. It would be very rude not to and might result in unpleasant circumstances for them if you don't."

"So, I guess you're pretty much telling us what will happen if we don't eat?" Kensi asked.

"Bright and beautiful! You're a very lucky man to have won such a prize, Detective Deeks. I'm not really sure how you accomplished it, but…" Bart paused before continuing. "In any case, I digress…If you don't eat, Agents Callen and Hanna will be punished."

"Just eat, guys," Sam said. "Pretend we're not here."

"I bet a drink of cold, delicious orange juice would taste really good right now, wouldn't it, Agent Callen?" Bart teased. "Liquid vitamin C…just the thing for that cold of yours. Too bad your partner didn't take your health and well-being into account when he made his decision."

"Will you shut the hell up?" Deeks yelled after barely managing to choke down a piece of a blueberry muffin. He was feverish and didn't feel like eating at all. Although he knew Kensi was hungry, he really wished Sam had just kept the breakfast for himself and Callen.

"Would you like a demonstration of what will happen if you continue to defy me?" Bart asked, no longer appearing amused. His eyes were cold and dark with anger.

"No, no, I'm sorry," Deeks said quickly, looking apologetically at Sam and Callen. He poured some cereal into a bowl and then added some milk. He then forced himself to take a spoonful, his eyes filled with regret. Kensi began to munch on some grapes.

"Very good, Detective. It's good to see a nice breakfast appreciated. Too bad your whole team can't partake of it."

None of the team members responded to Bart's taunts and continued to do as they had been instructed. Finally, mercifully for all of them, Kensi and Deeks finished up and put down their utensils. "Nicely done," Bart said, satisfied that they had eaten their fill. "Now we are going to go to where we've established a new campsite and there, our little game will continue. Come along and don't dawdle. Slackers will be punished."

Surrounded by gunmen, the team members got to their feet. Callen and Deeks moved slowly and were obviously struggling as the team moved on to whatever the next part of Bart's twisted game would be.


	15. Chapter 15

_Thanks for all your nice comments on the last chapter. I've still been sort of stuck, but suddenly got inspired with this again today. It's not too long, but at least it's something. Thanks for reading._

xxxxx

"Hetty!" Eric quickly strode into Hetty's office with Nell following right behind him. "We've found something…well someone. We think we know where Shaughnessy is. He works at a private lab, right here in Los Angeles."

"Well that is very fortuitous indeed," Hetty said. "The two of you get yourselves ready, we're going to go to the lab immediately. Hopefully, Mr. Shaughnessy will be there and we can bring him to the boathouse for questioning. He's the most promising lead we have."

"Get ready?" Eric asked, looking at Hetty in confusion.

"Arm yourselves, Mr. Beale," Hetty explained, impatiently.

"Really?" Eric asked, looking excited.

"It's just a precaution," Hetty said. "I highly doubt we're going to be shooting up the lab. Now hurry along, we need to get a move on."

xxxxx

A front desk receptionist greeted Hetty, Nell and Eric as they entered the laboratory. "Can I help you?" she asked, peering at them from behind her wide-framed glasses.

"We're here to see Mr. Shaughnessy…uh, about some funding," Hetty said. "My name is Delilah Fraser and these are my associates, Donald Watson and Lucy Parks.

"I'll see if he can speak with you," the receptionist said in a clipped tone as she stood up from behind her desk and then walked down the hallway, her heels clicking loudly on the floor.

"Why did you give us aliases?" Eric whispered after the receptionist was out of earshot.

"Because I wasn't sure if Bart might have mentioned me to Mr. Shaughnessy," Hetty explained. "And once I gave myself an alias, I figured I might as well give them to the two of you as well."

"Donald Watson…" Eric said, testing the name out. "I like it. So Hetty, what was it about me that made you decide on that particular name?"

Hetty shook her head in exasperation. "I hardly think that is the point," Mr. Beale," she said.

Just then, they heard the clicking of heels once again as the receptionist walked toward them from the hallway. "Mr. Shaughnessy will be happy to speak with you," she said. "Please follow me." She then walked back down the corridor as Hetty, Eric and Nell followed along. She opened a door and led them into a conference room with a large table surrounded by cushioned leather chairs. "Have a seat. Mr. Shaughnessy will be with you in a few moments."

After approximately five minutes, Shaughnessy entered the room. "Hello, I'm Michael Shaughnessy," he said, offering his hand to the three of them. "Ms. Russell told me you're interested in funding some of my research?"

Hetty stood up and pulled out her badge from her purse. "Actually, I'm interested in my missing agents. I understand you built a maze of explosives around one of them?"

Michael immediately paled. "I…I don't know what you're talking about, lady," he said. He reached for the telephone on the conference room table and dialed zero. "Ms. Russell? Can you please have Security come to the conference room right away? I need them to escort our visitors from the premises." He hung up the phone, a twisted smile on his face. "They'll be right here."

"Good." Hetty smiled back at him. "When I explain who we are and why we're here, I'm sure they'll be more than happy to allow us to escort you for questioning. And I'd think long and hard about what you're going to say, because you're going to be a very sorry young man if you don't come up with some satisfactory answers."

xxxxx

The team slowly walked along with Sam helping Callen and Kensi doing her best to help Deeks, although he didn't really want to accept her help. Luckily, for both men, the campsite wasn't too far from where they had spent the night. It was set up much like the first campsite they had been to and there was a small pond a short distance from where the tents and campfire were. Callen slumped to the ground and wrapped the blanket tightly around him. Deeks did the same, minus the blanket. He was feeling very hot and uncomfortable.

"Sam? Can I have some water?" Callen asked.

Sam nodded. "Sure G," he said as he passed a canteen to his partner. However, Bart came over and intercepted him. "Uh, uh, uh," he said as he yanked the canteen out of Callen's hands. "This, my friend, is the next little prize in our game, along with blankets. He then unceremoniously took the blanket away from Callen as well. "You don't get these unless you're chosen, Agent Callen."

"Really?" Sam asked with a look of disgust on his face.

"It's all right, Sam," Callen said, trying very hard not to shiver. He was freezing.

"No, it's not really all right at all," Sam said venomously. "It's pretty twisted what you're doing here," he said, directing his words to Bart. "At the very least, why don't you focus your sick games on me and not on members of our team who are sick?"

"I think I have been most hospitable, Agent Hanna," Bart said with a condescending smile. "You had the chance to give your partner a fine breakfast complete with beverages. You chose to give it to Agent Blye and Detective Deeks. That's on you, not me."

"I knew you should have just kept the damn breakfast," Deeks muttered. He hadn't wanted the stupid food to begin with and now he just had to feel guilty every time he looked at Callen because he had basically taken food out of his mouth.

"In any case, redemption could be in your future, Agent Hanna," Bart said happily. "Perhaps this next game will go your way. It's your turn, Agent Blye. It's a two part question because it's so very, very easy. You'll be wondering how on earth I could be so kind."

"That's doubtful," Deeks said, glaring at him.

"You'd be wise to watch your mouth, Detective," Bart said. "You might not like the consequences if you don't."

"I don't like the consequences either way," Deeks retorted.

"Deeks," Kensi cautioned softly. "I don't think we need to antagonize him any more right now."

"Listen to your girlfriend," Bart said. "She seems to have a lot more going on upstairs than you do."

"You son of a bitch." With a burst of adrenaline, Deeks sprung at Bart who was surprised by the move and he quickly moved out of the way.

"Burke!" Bart called and the muscular man was at his side in an instant. Burke then punched Deeks visciously in the stomach, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Deeks!" Kensi said, going to his side and facing Burke with a glare. "Leave him alone." Both Burke and Bart started to laugh.

"You better watch yourself, little lady," Burke said, leering at Kensi. "I just might take you into one of those tents over there and show you what a real man has to offer."

"Really?!" Deeks asked angrily, starting to make a move towards Burke, but Sam quickly grabbed him.

"Deeks, settle down," Sam warned. "This isn't helping."

"Well, this is all quite amusing, but we really do need to get on with the game," Bart said. "Are you ready Agent Blye?"

"Yes, I'm ready," Kensi said, giving another cautionary look in Deeks' direction.

"Okay then, would you rather have blankets for you and Detective Deeks or give them up to Agent Hanna and Agent Callen?" Kensi glanced at Deeks who quickly shook his head, but she had just been verifying the decision she had already made.

"Callen and Sam can have the blankets," Kensi stated.

Sam gave Kensi a grateful look as he wrapped a blanket around his shivering partner.

"And now, are you ready for part two?" Bart asked, smiling. "This one may be a wee bit tougher for you, so consider your options carefully. Would you rather that you and the detective are allowed to drink water or shall I give the privilege to Agents Hanna and Callen?"

Kensi appeared to be dismayed by the question. She looked at Deeks whose face was flushed and coated with perspiration. He was very obviously feverish and worsening. She then looked at Callen. He was pale and appeared to be in pain but he also seemed detached from what was going on around him. She then met Sam's eyes. "Deeks is running a fever…" she said, wanting to explain.

"G's thirsty," Sam said quietly.

"I don't want the water, Kensi," Deeks said quickly. "We had breakfast. We had juice. Give it to them."

"You have a fever, Deeks. You'll get dehydrated."

"I don't care," Deeks insisted. "Give the water to Callen."

"You need water, Deeks," Kensi said. "You're sick."

"He's not the only one," Sam muttered.

"How long does whoever I don't choose have to go without water?" Kensi asked, looking at Bart. "An hour, a day? What are we talking here?"

"Why indefinitely, of course," Bart said with a smile. "The losers will have no water indefinitely."

Kensi shook her head as tears filled her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her eyes on Callen. She couldn't withhold water from Deeks when he was so sick. She just couldn't do it. "Deeks and I will take the water," she said, hanging her head.

The look Sam gave her made her feel like she had committed an immoral act. "I'm sorry," she repeated.

"Very good!" Bart said, looking pleased at this development. "A selfish, but wise decision. Survival of the fittest."

"It's not survival of the fittest," Sam growled. "Letting Kensi and I have the water would be survival of the fittest. Why didn't you make that the challenge?" he asked. "Either Kensi and I or G and Deeks?"

"Why indeed, Agent Hanna," Bart asked. "What kind of a game would that be? The choice would be obvious, wouldn't it? This has much more drama, pitting partners against partners. Obviously, Agent Blye thinks her partner is more important than yours."

"That's not true!" Kensi blurted out. "Deeks is sick. He has an infection. He has to have water."

At that moment, Callen started to cough and Sam gave his partner a stricken look. "I'm sure glad that G's not sick," he said bitterly.

"Sam…I…" Kensi was already filled with remorse by her decision and she watched helplessly as Sam went over to sit beside his partner and put his arm around his shoulders.


	16. Chapter 16

_Thank you so much for all your amazing reviews for the last chapter. I really appreciate you sticking with this twisted little tale lol. Your comments definitely helped to inspire me with the next chapter. :)_

xxxxx

"Are you all right, Sam?" Callen asked, his blue eyes fixed on his partner. Bart had left them alone a few minutes ago for a so-called 'intermission,' but Sam had yet to say a word.

"I'm fine, G," Sam said softly. "I'm just worried about you."

"You don't have to be," Callen said. "I drank some water during the night. I'm not in any danger from not drinking…" He sighed before going on, speaking slowly. "You can't blame Kensi for choosing Deeks. He was shot, he's running a fever…and she's in love with him. Why wouldn't she pick him? Bart is making sure this game isn't fair, Sam. No matter what choices we make, someone is going to be pissed off. You need to let it go."

Sam listened, but he didn't say anything in response.

"So, I'm guessing if the choice had been yours, you would have chosen differently?" Callen asked.

Sam nodded.

"Well then I'm glad you didn't get to choose, because I wouldn't have wanted you to. Kensi made the right decision. Fighting amongst ourselves is only going to make matters worse."

Sam still didn't respond to what Callen said. He just stared off into the distance as he wondered when the next shoe was going to drop.

Callen sighed in frustration when his partner wouldn't talk to him. He then underwent a coughing fit and wrapped his arms around his ribs trying to ease the pain, even just a little bit.

xxxxx

"You should have just let them have it, Kens," Deeks said softly as he wiped some of her tears away with his fingertips. "This isn't worth the damn water."

"No I shouldn't have," Kensi said, shaking her head. "Why is Callen any more entitled to water than you are? He's not." She sighed in frustration. Callen wasn't the one she was upset with. She placed her hand on Deeks' forehead and then shook her head. "I think your temperature is rising."

"I'll be okay."

"How can you even say that?" she asked. "This…this guy is just a psychopath. Who knows what he's going to ask us to do next? Whose head would you rather chop off, Callen's or Sam's?"

Deeks couldn't help but chuckle in spite of the direness of their situation. "Don't say that too loud. You don't want to give him any more ideas."

"He seems to be coming up with plenty of them on his own," Kensi said, morosely. "He doesn't need my help."

"Come on, baby…don't let him get you down. Come here." He beckoned her with his uninjured arm and she crept closer to him as Deeks wrapped his arm around her. "Everything's going to be okay," he said softly. "I promise."

Kensi remained silent. In her heart, she knew this was one promise he might not be able to keep.

xxxxx

The sound of thunder startled the four agents as a light sprinkle began to fall. "Are you kidding me?" Sam asked. Someone up there really didn't like them very much.

Bart came back to them and looked curiously at the gap that had occurred with the team members split into pairs and not sitting with each other. "Uh oh…is there trouble in paradise?" he asked with a smirk. "I had thought it would be a little bit more difficult to break up your team than that."

"You haven't broken up anything," Callen retorted. "Sam and I were just giving Kensi and Deeks some time to themselves." He stood up, wincing as he did so, and walked over to Kensi and Deeks, then sat down beside them. Sam reluctantly followed him a few moments later.

Well, due to the impending storm, it's time for just a quick question before we take a longer break this time. "Your turn, Agent Callen," Bart said turning toward him with a smile. "Since we're supposed to get quite the storm system over the next hour or two, I'm willing to let you and Agent Hanna have that tent over there to take shelter. Who will accompany you, Agent Blye or Detective Deeks?"

"Take Kensi with you, Callen," Deeks demanded.

"I'm not going to melt, Callen," Kensi said. "You know Deeks is sick. He can't be out in a storm."

"What about me?" Callen asked. "Can I take their place?"

"What the hell is wrong with you, G?" Sam bellowed, any attempt at trying to keep calm, lost. "You're already coughing your fool head off. Are you just begging for that cold to turn into pneumonia?"

"That's not the condition, Agent Callen," Bart said. "Although the idea of you, as your partner said, coughing your fool head off in a rainstorm does have its merit."

Callen sighed as he looked at the two younger team members. He then glanced at his partner who looked away from him. Evidently, he wasn't going to be of any help. "I guess… Deeks should stay inside," he said, giving Kensi an apologetic look, but she smiled at him in return.

"Thank you, Callen," Kensi said.

"Yeah, thanks a lot," Deeks said, glaring at Callen. "Now when Kensi catches pneumonia I'll know who to blame."

"I'm not going to catch pneumonia, Deeks," Kensi said. "It's not that cold out right now. I'll be fine." She glanced at Callen who was now looking uncertain. "Don't worry. You made the right decision."

"You can take the tent right there," Bart said, pointing at the closest one to where they were. He then smirked at Deeks. "You can keep an eye on your sweetie pie the whole time."

"How long does she have to stay outside?" Deeks asked.

"An hour or two…I'll let you know." Bart smiled cheerily as the rain started to come down more heavily. "You boys better get inside. You wouldn't want to get wet," he said laughing. He gave a mock salute to the eight armed men guarding the area, all of them covered in protective raingear, and headed for his own tent. Callen and Sam went into the tent as Deeks looked at Kensi sadly.

"I can't believe he did that," Deeks said.

"Stop that," Kensi admonished gently, putting her hand on his cheek. "Please, Deeks…please go inside, for me. What good does it do for us both to stay out here?"

He stared at her for a long moment but finally nodded. "All right…I'll be watching you."

Kensi gave him a quick kiss. "Get inside," she whispered, smiling in satisfaction when he finally did as she asked.

xxxxx

Deeks walked into the tent and sat down on top of a rolled up sleeping bag. He shot Callen a bit of a dirty look which Callen ignored and then proceeded to keep a vigil over his partner.

"What's your problem?" Sam asked Deeks, after a few long moments of silence.

"I don't have a problem," Deeks stated. "What's yours?"

"Cut it out, both of you," Callen demanded. "That's an order."

"Really?" Deeks gave Callen an incredulous look. "We're not on duty. You can't give us orders."

"Technically, we are on duty, Deeks," Callen replied. "And you'd be wise to do what I say."

Deeks rolled his eyes. "Or what?"

"He is the leader of this so-called team," Sam said. "And he's right, you do need to listen to him."

"It's not like he's been leading us particularly well as of late…Anyhow, you're not listening to him either," Deeks said, squaring off against Sam. "You're just pissed because of the whole water situation. Well, Callen can go outside now and drink the raindrops if he's thirsty."

"You know, I did offer to take your places," Callen said, stung by the remark about his leadership abilities, or rather lack thereof. Now, he was just as fed up as the other two men were. "It's not my fault he wouldn't allow it."

"Well, no offense G, but that was a pretty stupid thing to say on your part anyhow," Sam said, momentarily turning away from Deeks to glare at his partner. "I don't know what you were thinking. Oh no, I do know what you were thinking. I have a bad cough. I think I'll go outside and sit in a rainstorm for an hour or two."

"You know what? screw you, Sam," Callen said, "and whatever, Deeks." He'd been about to say screw you too, Deeks, but didn't know if it was Deeks' fever talking so he didn't say it. However, it was obvious that Deeks' feelings were pretty real behind the fever. He didn't really know what he was expected to do, but now he was feeling guilty that he hadn't done it anyway. "I've had about enough of this. If you two want to fight, go ahead. Just keep me out of it. I'm done." He went over to the far corner of the tent and sat down, then drew his knees up to his chest and buried his head, wrapping himself tightly in the blanket. The temperature had dropped with the rain and he was freezing and feeling guilty about Kensi being out there. "And if either of you has any wonderful leadership ideas that will get us out of this, feel free to share them."

xxxxx

Kensi alternated between sitting on a flat rock that was outside the tent, and pacing around through the campsite, taking care not to stray out of Deeks' field of vision. She heard her teammates bickering, but that seemed to end after Callen went off on the other two men. She sighed heavily. This was definitely not good. At least no one out here seemed to have a problem with her walking around which kept her a little bit warmer. Once she had been out in the rain for a while, it didn't see as warm as it had seemed earlier. She also had to contend with the leers and rude kissing noises from Bart's men. They were all just a pack of animals.

xxxxx

Deeks and Sam remained silent after Callen's outburst, neither of them making any gestures either towards each other or towards Callen. There was no talking whatsoever until Kensi was finally allowed inside, an hour and a half later. "Come here, baby," Deeks said, opening up his arms to her.

"I don't want to get you all wet, Deeks," she said.

"It's the only way you're going to be able to warm up, SINCE YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY BLANKETS." Deeks said loudly, glaring over at Sam.

"Deeks, don't," Kensi pleaded, shaking her head.

"Bart didn't say anything about the sleeping bags," Sam stated. Why doesn't she use one of them?" He grabbed one by the wall of the tent and tossed it over to her.

"Thanks, Sam," Kensi said with a smile which Sam did not return. "So, it's going to be like this," she murmured as she got into the sleeping bag. She badly wanted to take off her wet clothes so they could dry, but she didn't dare, not knowing when the game play would begin again. She glanced over at Callen and couldn't tell from his position whether he was asleep or awake. "So…what were you three arguing about earlier?" she asked Deeks after she had warmed up a bit.

"So you heard that?" he asked. "Callen was just trying to order us around."

"Oh…" Kensi thought about that for a few moments, a little confused as to what he could have been ordering them to do. She finally decided to ask. "What kind of orders?"

Deeks shrugged. "Just the usual stuff, Kens…you know how he is…"

"Not really, I…" Kensi looked at Deeks more closely, realizing how flushed he was. She then tentatively reached out to touch his cheek. He really was burning up. "Deeks…why don't you lie down and get some rest?" she asked softly.

Deeks shook his head. "I don't really feel like sleeping."

"I know you don't," Kensi persisted gently, "but you really need to. It might help you feel better."

Deeks looked at her, knowing deep inside that nothing was really going to help him until they had gotten away. He didn't really want to cause her any additional stress though so he nodded as he unrolled the sleeping bag he had been sitting on and put it next to hers. He then stretched out beside Kensi and fell asleep.

xxxxx

Sam watched as Kensi managed to get Deeks to go to sleep. He knew that was probably the best thing for him, but it wasn't a cure-all by any means. They somehow needed to find a way out of this predicament, but that didn't seem very likely unless things changed radically. He suspected the little games they were playing were only going to get worse and that wouldn't be good for any of them. They were already at each other's throats. He glanced over at Callen who basically had remained motionless since his earlier rant. He sighed heavily then walked over to him and sat down. Callen still didn't move. "G?" he said softly. Nothing. "Come on, man…I'm sorry." He put his hand on his partner's back and patted it gently.

Callen lifted his head and stared at his partner. "You think I'm stewing about what you said, Sam?" he asked. "You give yourself too much credit."

"What are you thinking about then?"

"Nothing."

"Come on, G…talk to me."

"There's nothing to talk about," Callen stated. He shifted slightly and bit his lip as the pain in his ribs momentarily flared to a higher level. What he wouldn't give for some pain killers…some really good ones. At the moment, he was hungry, thirsty, in pain and not at all in the mood to talk to his partner or anyone else for that matter. "I'm going to try to sleep." It was the most effective way to get Sam to stop bugging him. He carefully got into his sleeping bag and managed to get himself into a lying position without too much increased pain. Then, with his back turned to his partner, he closed his eyes in an attempt to fall sleep and hopefully at least escape their situation in his dreams.


	17. Chapter 17

_Thanks for all your support._

 _xxxxx_

"Wakie, wakie!" Bart came into the tent, banging on a small tin pain with a fork. "Rise and shine, my lazy little prisoners. It's not even dark yet. You certainly shouldn't be sleeping. Look at you and Detective Deeks all snug in your little sleeping bags," he said to Kensi. "You see, you found a way out of your situation, after all. It doesn't even affect you that you can't have blankets. How about you, Agent Callen?" he asked. "Have you found a substitute for water?"

Callen only glared at Bart, not giving him an answer and Bart laughed uproariously. "I'll take that as a no!"

"Can't you ever just leave him alone?" Sam growled.

"Perhaps when he's earned it, Agent Hanna," Bart said amicably, "but right now, he hasn't earned a thing. Now, come along. Let's get outside for our next very important question!"

They walked outside and stood in a line formation as they waited for Bart to move on with the game. He grinned at them, then turned towards Deeks. "Detective Deeks, let's give you a turn, shall we?" This will effectively be the end of round one since you will have each had a turn. I'd say we should change things up a bit for your turn. Did you ever hear of the game Deal or no Deal?"

"Yeah, I've heard of it," Deeks said, his face expressionless.

"Well, this game is called Dollar or no Dollar! Clever, isn't it?" Bart asked laughing. "I just crack myself up."

"Yeah, you're a real hoot," Deeks said.

"So, in this game, you won't have to choose between your teammates. This will focus solely on…hmmm…" Bart turned to where Callen, Sam and Kensi were and began to recite, "Eenie, meenie, miney mo…" He stopped on Callen and began to shout. "Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! We have a winner folks! Or in this case, possibly a loser. We'll have to see what develops. Agent Callen, come over here and join Detective Deeks."

Callen reluctantly walked over to Deeks keeping his arm tightly pressed against his side as he stood by Deeks' side and Deeks gave him an apologetic look.

At that point, Bart pulled a 50 dollar bill out of his pocket and showed it to the team. "We have here a 50 dollar bill. Now the object of the game is to either pick the hand with or without the bill in it, depending upon Agent Callen's choice.

"What?" Callen asked, looking utterly confused by whatever Bart was talking about.

Bart rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Really? And you're the team leader? Nepotism at its worst, folks. I don't know what Henrietta was thinking. So, Agent Callen, let's try again." Bart spoke slowly enunciating each word loudly and clearly. "I am going to put this bill in one of my hands. I need you to choose whether you want the good detective here to choose the empty hand or the hand with the bill in it to win the game."

"What does he get if he wins?" Callen asked.

You and he get off Scott free," Bart said. "The best of all possibilities."

"And if he loses?"

"Oh…I'm afraid you won't like that very much at all," Bart said, oozing false sympathy. "That would be very, very bad. If he loses, you both lose as he will have to shoot you."

"What?" Kensi gasped.

"No!" Sam shouted.

"Yes!" Bart chortled gleefully.

Deeks shook his head, looking shocked at what Bart wanted. "I…I can't shoot him," he said.

"Oh, I'm afraid that's not an option," Bart said, shaking his head sadly, "because if you lose and refuse to shoot him…let's just say your team will be two members short. You and Agent Callen will be playing the remainder of the games alone."

"Fine!" Callen spat out angrily. "So if we lose, where does he have to shoot me?"

"Good question," Bart said, nodding his approval. "Your four limbs are off limits. Other than that, anything goes! He can shoot you in the head, the neck, chest, abdomen, back. Hell he can shoot you in the ass for all I care. Just somewhere other than your arms or legs. So, for the win, do you want Detective Deeks to choose the empty hand or the hand with the 50 dollar bill in it?"

Callen considered the question for a few moments and then spoke. "The empty hand," he finally stated.

"Very good then!" Bart put his hands behind his back and started shuffling about. Callen was really hoping this wasn't some kind of trick, but he had a queasy feeling that the game was rigged and he was going to take a bullet in his butt. It was a painful prospect, not to mention humiliating.

Bart finished shuffling and held out his two closed fists to Deeks. Deeks stared at them uncertainly and then looked to Callen for guidance. "Do you have a preference?" he asked.

Callen shook his head. "Whatever you think," he said quietly. "And whatever happens…it's not your fault."

"This sucks," Deeks said. He had no desire to make this choice. Even if Callen didn't think it was his fault, he knew he would always blame himself. He also knew that no matter where he shot Callen, the chance of it going very wrong would be very good. He stared at Bart for a long moment and then chose the left hand. Bart smirked after Deeks made the choice and Deeks and Callen immediately prepared themselves for the worst, until Bart opened up his fist and it was empty.

"Nicely done, Detective Deeks," Bart said. "Now that's the way to play the game." He turned his attention to Callen. "You be sure to give him some kind of an extra little treat when you get home, Agent Callen," he said. "I mean if you get home…well…" He frowned exaggeratedly. "Well, let's face it, you probably won't get home at all. Maybe you should just pat his scruffy little head and tell him he's a good boy."

"So now what?" Callen asked, ignoring all of Bart's attempts to irritate him.

"Now it's dinner time for two of you and I guess watching time for the other two. Detective, Agent Blye. If you'll please join me for dinner."

"Why do we get dinner?" Kensi asked.

"Why are you even questioning it?" Bart replied. "If I were you, I would accept my generosity and not say another word about it. We have a special treat tonight, chicken, potatoes and vegetables. If I remember correctly, there will even be a chocolate cake for dessert and all the water you can drink."

"You're being cruel," Kensi said.

"And you're being ungrateful." Bart said, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Can I trade off with someone?" Kensi asked.

Bart considered her request for a few moments and then nodded, a sly smile on his lips. "Yes, yes you can. You can trade off with Agent Hanna."

A look of dismay entered Kensi's eyes as she looked at Sam.

"No thanks," Sam said. "Kensi, just eat it."

"I already ate today, Sam…you haven't," Kensi looked at him pleadingly. "Please take it."

"She's right, Sam," Callen said. "Please do what she's asking."

Sam stared at his partner. "How can you even ask me to do that?" he asked.

"Because it's what you would want me to do, isn't it?" Callen asked. "I'm okay, Sam…please take the food. You don't know when you'll get the next chance to eat or drink again."

Sam looked from Kensi to Callen uncertainly. He was starved and very thirsty, but he didn't know if he could do it.

"Please Sam?" Kensi asked again. "I ate so much already today…"

"I just…" Every time he looked at Callen, his guilt increased tenfold.

"Sam…it will help you keep up your strength," Callen said. "I think that's pretty important right now, don't you?"

Sam considered what his partner was saying and then looked back at Kensi again. "Are you sure?" he asked her.

Kensi nodded quickly. "I'm very sure."

"Alright…thank you…"

"How about me?" Deeks asked, looking at Bart.

"How about you, what?" Bart asked, looking annoyed.

"Can I trade off too?"

"No, I fear it would give you much too much pleasure if I was to allow that. From what I've been able to gather from observing your condition, you don't want to eat. It gives you no pleasure whatsoever and it would likely give Agent Callen a great deal of pleasure if I was to allow him to eat or drink an ice cold glass of thirst quenching water. Mm…So refreshing… So, Detective Deeks, you will eat and drink and if you don't, someone will pay the consequences for your refusing to do so."

Deeks sighed as he gave Callen an apologetic look.

"It's okay, Deeks," Callen said. "Thanks for trying."

"So, Agent Hanna, Detective. Come along. We don't want the food to get cold."

Sam and Deeks followed Bart to the table and began to eat their dinner. Neither of them looked particularly happy, but it was obvious that Sam was enjoying the food a lot more than Deeks who was basically trying to force it down.

"You better not get sick, Detective," Bart admonished. "If you do, it will spoil my dinner entirely and I will have to take out my wrath on someone who is not joining us for dinner."

"I'm not going to get sick," Deeks said as he forced himself to chew on and swallow some of the chicken. He couldn't help but wish that Bart would choke on the damn food.

"I'm sorry about this, Callen," Kensi said as she looked over at him regretfully. "I had really hoped he would relent and let you eat or at least drink something. I know you're terribly thirsty."

"I'm okay, Kens," Callen said, smiling at her. He was pretty sure Bart had already decided there was no way he would be allowed to drink anything. He'd gone beyond the point of hunger so he didn't really care that he couldn't eat, but the thirst…that was getting harder for him to ignore. "I know what you were trying to do and I appreciate it. At least Sam gets to eat and drink though so that's good." He also knew it would help towards settling the tensions that had been cropping up amongst the team members throughout the day. However, he was also smart enough to know that those tensions could easily erupt again, depending on what else Bart had planned for them.

He looked up as Sam and Deeks came over to them, both having finished their dinner.

"I'm sorry, G," Sam said,

"Don't be," Callen said.

"I had thought having a special prime time edition of the game this evening," Bart said as he joined them, smiling arrogantly. "But, alas, I haven't finished the questions yet, so I'm afraid you're going to have to wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow's questions won't be the easy little decisions like what you had today. Tomorrow's questions will be doozies. They will test you like you've never been tested before."

"I can hardly wait for that," Callen muttered under his breath.

"I understand your enthusiasm," Bart said to Callen, grinning. "And I feel the same way as you do! The questions will definitely be worth the wait though. I'm going to make sure you and your teammates have the very best game playing experience imaginable."

As Callen stared back at Bart, he wondered if he had done something as a boy to piss him off. He couldn't imagine that he had. He had only met Bart twice back then, but maybe it was something he couldn't remember or something he had done quite unintentionally. Bart 's decision not to let him eat or drink anything seemed pretty pointed and he couldn't help but think there was a reason for it.

"Now you'd better get some sleep," Bart said. "You're going to need your rest to rejuvenate yourselves for the next round. Goodnight all and pleasant dreams!"

They trudged over to the tent and Deeks immediately got himself into his sleeping bag. "Thank you for what you did tonight," Sam said to Kensi. "You didn't have to do it, and, I appreciate it. I also apologize for my behavior earlier today…"

Kensi sighed softly as she gazed back at him. "There are no apologies necessary," she said quietly. "I fully understand why you were upset today. I…" She looked over at Callen who had already burrowed into his sleeping bag. "I'm glad you got to eat tonight, but I'm sorry it didn't work out the way I'd intended it to."

Sam nodded. "I know you are. I'm sorry about that too." He would have given anything for his partner to have gotten to have dinner that night. Knowing he had been thirsty hours ago and had been refused water, cut Sam to the quick. He couldn't imagine how G was feeling now. "Goodnight, Kensi," he said as he picked up his sleeping way and made his way over to where Callen was.

"Goodnight, Sam."

"Hey, G," Sam said as he settled down by his partner who was facing the opposite direction. "You doing okay, buddy?"

"I'm good," Callen replied, but there was a telltale hitch in his voice that told Sam he was anything but good.

Sam sighed softly, not even knowing what to say. To keep apologizing for water that Callen couldn't drink seemed like beating a dead horse, not to mention constantly reminding him of that seemed just as cruel as Bart bringing it up. "You warm enough?" he finally asked. It was the one thing he could help him with. There were plenty of blankets, at least, and it was the one thing that Callen was actually allowed to have.

"I'm fine, Sam. Don't worry, okay?"

"Yeah…okay…" At least G had been spared a bullet that day. Sam wasn't sure how he would have coped with that. He knew it would have turned a very bad situation into a dire one. He patted Callen's shoulder comfortingly and then laid down next to him, wishing he could think of a way to get him some water to drink. His inability to get such a simple thing for his partner made him feel helpless and feeling helpless was something that Sam hated.

xxxxx

Kensi settled down next to Deeks whose eyes were already closed. She tentatively touched his forehead and brushed some of his hair away from his face with her hand. "Deeks?" she whispered. "Are you awake?" He didn't give her an answer and she knew that he was asleep. She also knew that it was a bad sign. He never fell asleep that quickly or easily which told her his condition was worsening. She sighed as she curled up against him, hoping and praying that some kind of a miracle would happen and they would somehow get out of this situation with all of their lives intact.


	18. Chapter 18

_So, I took on a new part-time job in addition to my full-time job and updates may not be happening as much as I'd like. I'll do my best though. (I also started another story which probably isn't smart, but sometimes I can't fight my muse). In any case, thanks for your support, as always._

xxxxx

"I don't want this on me," Deeks said, as he threw the top part of the sleeping bag off him and thrashed around in obvious discomfort.

"Oh Deeks," Kensi put her hand on his forehead. He really was burning up. "Sam? What should I do?"

Sam thought for a few moments and then got up and went over to the tent opening. "Hey!" he shouted at one of the men who was guarding them. "I need some water for my friend's fever."

"Your friend isn't allowed to have water," the man said, smirking at Sam. "I'm not as dumb as you think."

"Not that friend. The other guy. Ask Bart if you want. I think he'll be good with it."

"I'm not waking Bart."

One of the other guys came over with a bottle of water and handed it to Sam. "I'm going to watch and make sure none of this goes to your little buddy."

"What about a cloth or towel?" Sam asked. "Something we can use for a compress."

"Does this look like Wal-Mart to you?" the man asked. "I don't have anything, unless you want a pair of my dirty underwear."

Sam tried to hide his disgust at the man's comment. Thankfully, one of the other men tossed a half empty roll of paper towels to Sam. "Don't use too many of them or you'll be wiping up any spills with your tongue."

Sam walked back into the tent, followed by the guard. Callen was huddled in a corner in the midst of a coughing fit, holding his ribs. He cast a longing look at the bottle of water in Sam's hand, then turned away and laid back down so that he faced the wall of the tent. Sam sighed as more guilt ate away at him. Then he knelt down beside Deeks and soaked some paper towels in the water and then placed the compress on Deeks' forehead.

"Don't want this," Deeks murmured as he tried to fling the compress away.

"Deeks, Deeks you have to leave that there," Kensi said softly to him, taking his hand in her own. "Please Deeks, just try to rest."

"Don't want to be here," Deeks mumbled. "Want to go home, Fern."

"Shhh…I know you do," Kensi said, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. "I want to go home too, Deeks. We will soon. I promise you."

"I'll just leave this with you," Sam said, handing the bottle of water to Kensi.

"Not happening," the guard said as he took the bottle out of Kensi's hand. "I'm not leaving the water in here. If you need more, you know where I am."

Kensi shared a sad look with Sam. "I'm sorry, Sam," she whispered. "I'm so sorry they won't let him have any water."

Sam nodded, but said nothing. He directed his gaze to his partner who was still facing away from them and then went to try to get some sleep and give Kensi and Deeks some privacy. "Let me know if you need me, Kens," he said.

Kensi nodded and turned her attention back to Deeks, hoping his fever would drop by morning.

xxxxx

The sound of Callen's coughing once again drew Sam out of his uneasy slumber. He could see through the opening of the tent that the sun was just beginning to rise. He looked over at Kensi and Deeks and was glad to see that they both appeared to be peacefully asleep. He moved closer to his partner and gently put his hand on his back. "Hey, you okay?" he whispered.

"I'm fine, Sam," Callen said, his voice sounding hoarse and rough.

Sam could only imagine how his partner was feeling. "You warm enough?" he asked, hating the sound of the lame question. He then risked Callen's wrath by placing his hand on his partner's forehead, relieved to find it relatively cool.

"I'm fine," Callen repeated. He knew it wasn't anyone's fault that he couldn't have water, but he was starting to feel the effects of it both mentally and physically. His throat was sore and his head ached and he was having to force himself not to begrudge his team being able to drink while he could not.

"Good morning, good morning!" Bart's cheerful voice permeated the otherwise silent morning as Callen and Sam exchanged a look of dismay and Kensi and Deeks began to awaken. "How did my happy little prisoners sleep?" He looked at Deeks with a look of false sadness. "I heard my poor little detective friend wasn't doing too well. I hope you're better this morning. We have some fun ahead of us."

"Go to hell," Deeks snarled.

"Deeks," Kensi put her arm around him. "Deeks, don't."

"Why not?" he asked angrily.

"Because, we don't need any more trouble this morning," Kensi looked at him pleadingly. "Please."

"Fine."

"Oh don't worry, Agent Blye, I won't hold the detective's grouchiness against him," Bart said. "I enjoy his feistiness…just as long as he doesn't get carried away with it." He turned towards Callen and Sam who were just watching in silence. "And how is my thirsty little friend this morning?"

Callen sighed and ignored the question as Sam clenched his fists, willing himself not to snap.

"It's a question that demands an answer, Agent Callen," Bart said. "I would answer it if I was you."

"I'm fine," Callen replied.

"Good, good, I'm very glad to hear it. Now then, I'd like the four of you to join me outside. Agent Blye, you're going to start off our festivities this morning. Come along. Don't dawdle."

"Do you need help, Deeks?" Kensi asked with concern as he started to get to his feet, looking a bit sluggish.

"No, I'm good," Deeks said. He stood up and took a step, looking slightly off-balance as he did so. Sam reached out to steady him and Deeks pulled away roughly. "I said I was good!" Sam quickly backed off and Deeks immediately looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, man…"

"No worries, Deeks," Sam said. "I get it."

Deeks nodded and Kensi gently put her arm around him for support as they headed outside where Bart was waiting for them. "Now, Agent Blye, as you can probably guess, it's breakfast time. I'm going to give you a chance to give Agent Callen some breakfast and some ice cold juice or water, whatever he would like."

Callen tried hard to look disinterested, but he couldn't disguise the look of hope in his eyes which Bart easily noticed. "I see that look, Agent Callen. You're positively salivating at the thought of a drink, aren't you?"

Callen ignored him and Kensi waited patiently to hear whatever this newest bit of Bart insanity would be. "So," Bart began. "We begin with a choice. Either breakfast for you, Agent Blye, Detective Deeks and Agent Hanna…or…you give permission for one of my men to shoot Detective Deeks in his other shoulder and Agent Callen can join you."

Callen gave Bart a look of pure hatred as Deeks spoke up. "Give him permission, Kensi."

"What?" Kensi turned to Deeks incredulously. "I'm not going to do that."

"Callen needs to drink something," Deeks said. "It's no big deal."

"You're not asking to be shot, Deeks," Callen said. "That's just craziness."

"I'm not crazy," Deeks said quietly.

"G's right," Sam said. As much as he was worried about his partner, he would certainly never endorse deliberately allowing Deeks to be shot. "Kensi, just refuse."

"I don't give permission," Kensi said. The whole choice had been absurd. She was sure Bart knew she would refuse him. It was just another way to mentally torture Callen.

"Sorry, Agent Callen," Bart said cheerily. "Bacon, eggs, sausage and hash browns, all fried up over an open fire with plenty of juice and water. It almost makes me sad that you can't have any."

Callen said nothing. He was inwardly forcing himself to remain calm and cool, wanting to ease the guilt he knew his team was feeling as much as possible.

The three team members went to the table and sat down, trying not to think about Callen's presence only a few feet away. "I hate this," Deeks mumbled as he tried to force down some eggs. This whole eating thing was just daily torture for him and he knew it was torture for Callen as well, but for totally different reasons.

"One of these days this bastard is going to get his," Sam mumbled. His eyes went to Callen, but his partner, although facing in their direction, seemed to be unfocused, almost like he was in a daze.

"What was that, Agent Hanna?" Bart asked.

"Nothing," Sam replied.

"That's what I thought," Bart said, smiling and nodding in satisfaction.

They finished breakfast without incident and then the team was ordered to join Callen once again. No one bothered to apologize, knowing it was just rubbing salt in his wound.

"So now, I know you must be feeling neglected, Agent Callen," Bart said. "And we can't have that, so I'll give you a turn. Let's see…what would be a good decision for you…hmm…oh I know, pick someone to hold their breath under water for two minutes, Agent Hanna or Agent Blye."

To his credit, Callen pretended to look distressed by the question as he looked at Sam and then Kensi, pretending that he was having a difficult time with his choice. "Uh…"

"Come now, Agent Callen. Don't take all day. The lady or your partner?"

"My partner," Callen said softly. "I'm sorry, Sam."

"It's okay, G," Sam said. He watched as one of Bart's men approached them, carrying a large bucket of water.

"Agent Hanna, are you ready?" Bart asked. Sam nodded and knelt down beside the bucket of water, then took a deep breath right before Bart's man shoved his head underneath the surface and held it there. Callen, Kensi and Deeks still had anxiety as they kept their eyes on Sam and mentally tracked the time which seemed to take a whole lot longer than two minutes. Finally, Sam's head was released and he raised his head, gasping for air.

"Are you all right?" Callen asked, the worry in his eyes now very real.

Sam nodded, seeing Callen's obvious distress. "I'm fine G, really I am."

"Nicely done, Agent Hanna," Bart said, clapping his hands in mock approval. And now, I will give you a 10 minute break until our next question. Agent Hanna, prepare yourself. Your turn is next.

xxxxx

"Did Bart tell you the people he is holding captive are federal agents?" Hetty asked Michael Shaughnessy, her expression stern and unyielding.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Shaughnessy replied stubbornly.

"I know it was you who made the maze of explosives," Eric said. Hetty had allowed him to accompany her into the interrogation and he was determined that she not end up regretting her decision.

Shaughnessy sneered at Eric. "And how would you know such a thing?"

"I recognized your trademark Flash signature," Eric said. He then forced himself to speak admiringly about the other man. "And your work…magnificent…I don't know many people who could have pulled that off…explosive craftsmanship at its finest…"

Shaughnessy couldn't help the proud smile that touched his lips or the faint blush of his cheeks. "That bitch though…that bitch saved him. Bart said he didn't care, but I did. I wanted that guy to blow up. I really wanted it to work."

"So, the guy who was trapped, Agent Callen, managed to get away?" Eric asked.

Shaughnessy nodded. "Yeah, he did. That little minx slipped in amongst the openings between the wires then managed to defuse the bomb. I had thought the openings were small enough, but they weren't…next time…next time I'll make sure there's not enough room for anyone to get through."

Eric nodded. "I'm sure the next time, it'll work. Even the greatest genius experiences a learning curve. I have no doubt that next time, you'll be a success."

Shaughnessy smiled at Eric. "Thanks. I think so too."

"If you gentlemen will excuse me," Hetty said, pushing her chair away from the table as she decided to give Eric some time alone with Shaughnessy. "The ladies room is calling me."

"Wow… what is up with her?" Shaughnessy asked as soon as Hetty had left the room. "She looks as crazy as a bat."

Eric laughed uncomfortably, hoping that Hetty wasn't already watching them on the monitor although he knew Nell would be. "So… back to you. I wish I could help you get this guy. When Bart sent us the picture of Callen all tied up like that…I was really hoping it had worked…"

"Yeah?" Shaughnessy looked at Eric skeptically. "Don't you work with him though? Why would I believe you'd want him dead."

Eric sighed. "I don't think someone as accomplished as you could even understand…"

"You'd be surprised," said Shaughnessy. "Try me."

"Well…he's an agent and a really smug one at that. Look at him and look at me…"

Shaughnessy shook his head. "I didn't think he was all that. I mean I guess he was good looking in that kind of obvious way, but he looked kind of scrawny if you ask me and all pathetic and pitiful being tied up the way he was. I mean, dude, he needed to have a woman come to his rescue!" Shaughnessy snickered and Eric joined in.

"And that woman was Kensi and he HATES her. That's the only good thing about her rescuing him. Out of anybody, he would not want her to have been the one to save him."

"Yeah?" Shaughnessy asked with interest.

"Oh yeah. Pretty sure he was jealous because she never gave him the time of day and it just kind of festered inside him."

Shaughnessy nodded. "She is pretty fine. I can understand why she wouldn't want anything to do with him though. Even tied up, I could see he looked kind of full of himself."

"You have no idea," Eric said. "He is constantly lording over the others on his team and me. He bosses me around 24/7. He has no qualms about calling me at 3 a.m. to ask me how to get his dvd player to work. No boundaries and no respect."

"Wow…that really sucks," Shaughnessy said sympathetically. "I can see why you'd want to put him in his place."

Eric nodded. "The only thing better than having him already blown up, would be if I could be there to watch it happen. I'd love to see the fear in his eyes, knowing he was going to die and that I'd be watching and would finally have the upper hand."

"If I could get out of here…I could make that happen for you," Shaughnessy said eagerly. "Only thing is…that creepy little woman isn't about to let me out of here."

"I think she would if you'd give her a location, just a fake one," Eric said. "She's not the brightest bulb either. She'll believe you."

"It would have to be a fake one," Shaughnessy said. "I don't know where he is, but I can get someone to pick us up and bring us out there if you really mean what you're saying."

"Oh I mean it," Eric said eagerly. "I would love nothing better than to see that smug look wiped off Callen's face once and for all."

xxxxx

Hetty looked at Nell who was smiling admiringly as she watched the exchange between Eric and Shaughnessy on the monitor. "Is there something I need to know about Mr. Callen and Mr. Beale's relationship?" she asked, looking a little bit worried.

Nell shook her head and laughed. "Everything's fine with them Hetty. Eric's just really good at coming up with stories."

"Yes, he certainly is," Hetty said, nodding, impressed with what he had been able to accomplish. "Well done, Mr. Beale…well done, indeed."

xxxxx

So, it's time for the next question. Agent Hanna, are you ready?" Bart asked, his irritating smile, once again present on his smug face.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Sam said resignedly.

"Okay then, this may be a little bit hard to do, but it really shouldn't be too difficult, especially if you do it quickly. Now, choose between Detective Deeks and Agent Callen, who will receive 20 lashes with a whip, delivered by you, onto his bare back?"


	19. Chapter 19

_So, I think there will be mixed opinions about what happens in this chapter. I've been almost afraid to post it lol. Hopefully, you'll still be reading at the end of it. Thanks for all the support._

xxxxx

Sam stared at Bart, looking sick to his stomach. "Whip one of them?" He shook his head. "I can't do that…"

"No?" Bart shook his head, pretending to look saddened. "Well that is too bad, it really is. I suppose…I guess I'll just have to have Burke do it instead. Except, he won't be able to stop at 20 lashes. No, in order to make it worth his while, it will have to be at least 50…yes, 50 is a good, solid number. I think Burke will be very pleased." He looked over at Callen and Deeks. "Sorry boys. I guess one of you is going to have to endure more than double the torture because your friend here is too much of a wuss to do what needs to be done."

Sam glared at Bart. "You're a real sick son of a bitch."

Bart chuckled. "I've been called worse in my lifetime…much worse. Now, I'd better go find Burke. He will be excited. I just know he's been most eager to get his hands on one of you. I'd say the whipping is going to be a good deal harsher this way." He gave a mock shudder. "I'm just glad it's not me having to experience it."

"I'll do it," Sam growled, his eyes dark and angry as he continued to glare at Bart.

"Oh that is good news!" Bart said cheerily. "So, I'll give you a few minutes to make your decision. I know it can't be an easy one. Whipping people is such a distasteful business. I can't say that I would want to do it myself."

"No…we've already discovered that you never do your own dirty work," Sam remarked icily, watching as Bart walked away. He then sighed heavily as he looked sadly at his team members. Kensi looked back at him pleadingly. "Please, Sam… you can't…"

"Don't worry, Kens," Callen said and he proceeded to remove his t-shirt. "I've got this."

Sam cringed when he looked at his partner and saw the deep purple bruise over his ribs. Evidently, Burke was capable of an incredibly powerful punch. He couldn't imagine the damage he could do with a whip.

"Wait a minute," Deeks said. "I should get a say in this too."

"The decision's made, Deeks," Callen said.

Deeks shook his head and looked at Sam. "You haven't said anything, Sam. Tell him you haven't made your choice."

"Deeks…You can't go through that," Kensi began, speaking gently. "You're already hurt and sick."

"Really?" Deeks asked, looking back at Kensi. "Do you not see that bruise, Kensi? Did you not hear him coughing half the night last night? Are you not aware that he hasn't had anything to eat or drink in over 24 hours?"

"Yes, Deeks, I know all that," Kensi said, starting to get upset. "But I sat up with you last night. You were feverish and incoherent and I don't care what you say. You're not well. There's only so much you can take, in spite of what you say. I…I'm not going to sit back and watch you die."

"I'm not going to die from getting whipped," Deeks retorted.

"It's okay, Kens," Callen said softly. "He's not going to have to go through that." He then turned his head towards Deeks. "I'm fine, Deeks. I have a cold…it's no big deal."

"Callen?" Kensi looked at him sorrowfully and with more than a little guilt. "It…it's not like I want anything to happen to you. I hate this. It's just…"

"I understand, Kens," Callen said, managing a faint smile. "He's your partner and the man you're going to marry."

"Sam?" Deeks asked, turning towards the older agent.

Callen turned towards his partner as well. "You know what needs to be done here," he said quietly. "I know you don't like it, but…it's what we've got to do. It'll be okay."

Sam sighed. He'd hurt his partner before in the line of duty, but never like this, never so badly. He wasn't sure he could do it.

"I can take it Sam," Deeks said insistently. "You don't want to have to do that to your best friend, do you?"

"Deeks, keep out of it," Callen said.

"I can't do that, Callen," Deeks retorted. "I'm in this as much as you are."

"No you're not," Callen said stubbornly. "He's my partner. It's between him and me."

"Are you two really going to fight over which one of you I'm going to whip?" Sam asked. He turned to look at Deeks. "I really appreciate you offering to sacrifice yourself…"

"I sense a but coming," Deeks said. "Come on, Sam. No buts."

"But…Kensi's right. I can't do it to you. I just can't. I know you're feeling a little better now because its daylight, but you weren't doing well last night. I don't even want to know what that wound of yours looks like right now." He knew it would be a mess but didn't dare remove the bandage because Bart had taken all of the first aid stuff away from them. He then turned towards Callen, his eyes filled with anguish. "G…"

"Come on, Sam, don't get all sentimental over this, okay?" Callen said, giving Sam his best smirk. "I can take 20 lashes. You know I can."

Sam shook his head, appearing dangerously close to tears. "I know you can," he said softly. "I just…god, G…I don't want to hurt you…"

"I know you don't," Callen said quietly, putting his arm around Sam's shoulders. "I trust you'll do the best you can not to hurt me that badly."

"But I'm still going to hurt you," Sam said. "There's no avoiding it…"

Callen shook his head. "It won't be that bad…I'm tougher than I look."

Sam couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, you're a real bad ass." His eyes then went serious as his gaze locked with Callen's. "I'll try to go easy on you if I can."

"Don't go too easy," Callen cautioned his partner. "You know if you do, he'll just sic Burke on me… I don't want that, Sam." He didn't come out and say it, but Burke's presence made him really nervous. He was pretty sure the man would rip the flesh right off his back if he got the chance.

Sam nodded. He didn't want Burke touching his partner, just the appearance of that bruise made him realize how dangerous he was.

"So, has a decision been made?" Bart came back, grinning widely at the somber team. "Now don't look so sad, it will be over before you know it. Agent Hanna? Who do you choose to be your whipping boy?"

"I…I choose G," Sam said reluctantly.

"Really?" Bart couldn't hide his obvious surprise. "I must say, that's not what I thought you were going to say, but it works for me. Follow me." He looked at Kensi and Deeks. "I want the two of you to come and watch as well."

The group walked over to the other side of the campsite where two trees were growing close together. "Burke? Johnson?" Bart called out. "I'd like for you to tie Agent Callen's wrists to these trees. We wouldn't want him trying to escape or missing even one second of his whipping."

"I sure wish I was going to whip you, boy." Burke taunted Callen with a sinister smile as he tied the rope around his right wrist. "I'd make sure that every stroke counted."

Finally Callen was tied firmly in place and he could feel every one of his nerves standing on edge as he stood waiting for the whipping which was to come.

"I feel sick," Kensi whispered to Deeks who took her hand.

"Here you are, Agent Hanna," Bart said as he handed him the whip. "20 lashes and I want to hear the crack of the whip. If I don't, I'll let Burke have some fun with your partner."

Callen couldn't see Sam or the whip since he was facing in the opposite direction. He clenched his fists and closed his eyes as he tried to prepare himself for the oncoming assault. The first crack of the whip made him flinch, as much as he tried not to, as did the subsequent lashes. At first, it was the sound that affected him more than the actual strokes themselves. They didn't seem to hurt so much, but then the pain began to burn and spread over his back with each stroke of the whip. He inadvertently bit down on his lower lip too hard and it started to bleed.

Sam couldn't remember ever feeling as terrible as he did at this moment. He felt like a monster, to be doing what he was doing to his partner, his best friend in the world. Callen never made a sound, not a groan or a whimper. Sam wasn't sure if that made it better or somehow made it worse. He had to fight the urge to point the whip in the direction of Bart's face, knowing that the consequences to his partner or Kensi or Deeks would not be worth it. When he got to number 10, Sam hesitated, finding it difficult to keep going.

"Only halfway there, Agent Hanna…would you like Burke to take over for you?"

Sam quickly started again, striking Callen harder than he had intended in his haste to make sure Burke didn't get near him. He then steadied himself as he counted down the remaining strokes and breathed a sigh of relief when the task was completed and he watched as Callen was released from his restraints.

"I'll give your team a break before we go on," Bart stated, looking at Callen's pain-filled eyes in satisfaction. "I'll be back." He then walked away, leaving the team alone except for the guards who surrounded them.

Callen started shivering after he was released and he couldn't seem to stop. His legs were also weak and shaky. Sam cautiously approached him. "G?"

"I'm all right, Sam," Callen said as he took a couple of deep breaths and tried to steady himself. He still couldn't seem to stop shaking, even though he didn't feel cold. He wondered if he was having some weird sort of stress reaction to what he had just gone through.

"Callen?" Kensi went to him and cautiously embraced him with one hand on his shoulder and the other lightly on his waist, not going anywhere near his back. Callen returned her embrace and held her tightly. He was suddenly having a very hard time keeping his emotions under control.

"I'm sorry, Callen," Kensi whispered. "I'm so sorry you've had to go through all this."

"I…I'm okay," he said, a slight tremor in his voice.

Deeks slowly walked up behind Callen and looked over his back. It didn't appear to be that bad. He could only see two welts that had opened up slightly, but the rest were just angry and red-appearing. Sam had done an admirable job of not doing any lasting damage to his partner. "Callen? Do you want your t-shirt?" he asked. He wasn't sure why, but he had taken it before they had walked over to the other side of the camp.

Callen turned around and nodded as Deeks handed him the shirt. "Thanks, Deeks," he murmured, not looking the other man in the eye. He couldn't put a finger on why, but he almost felt ashamed of what had just happened to him. He pulled the shirt on over his head and felt slightly better when he was covered up again. At least the shirt was loose-fitting and it didn't increase his pain much.

"I'm sorry, G…" Sam kept his distance from his partner but he couldn't take his eyes off him. "You'll never know how much."

"It wasn't your fault," Callen briefly glanced over at Sam, but then dropped his gaze. "I know you didn't want this, Sam."

"Of course he wanted it," Bart contradicted as he returned to the group. "I'm sure you've done some things to irritate him over the years. Nothing like a little bit of revenge to add excitement to one's life."

"I would NEVER hurt him on my own," Sam growled. "You really need to shut the hell up."

"Or what?" Bart laughed. "I'm the boss here. I'd watch myself if I was you. Words can have consequences."

"Always with the threats," Sam said, shaking his head. "I'd love to see you have the balls to take me on one on one, bet you wouldn't be so full of yourself then…"

"Well, we're not going to have to find that out now, are we? I'm in the position of power here and the four of you are my puppets to manipulate how I want. With the snap of my fingers, I can have any one of you killed instantly or dismembered, burned alive, drowned...so many possibilities. So, as I said, I'd watch myself if I was you, Agent Hanna…unless you'd like your partnership to come to an end instantly."

Sam glared at Bart, but didn't say anything else, knowing he had already pushed the man past where he should have.

Bart nodded, satisfied that Sam seemed to be done. "And now, I'd like to get on with our game, if you don't mind. "I believe it is your turn, Detective Deeks."

Deeks fixed his eyes on Bart as he uneasily waited for whatever this psychotic freak had up his sleeve next.

"So…" Bart said, smiling widely. "Let's cut right to the chase. Would you rather flog Agent Blye five times with a bamboo cane or let Burke over there have his way with Agent Callen?"

"What?" Deeks asked, looking instantly sick with the choice that had been presented to him. "What do you mean…have his way with?"

"I mean he will beat Agent Callen until he's done. Whether that means Agent Callen is dead or merely unconscious, I'll leave to Burke's judgement. Burke has been ever so patient. I wouldn't want to rush him. I'll give you a short time to think it over." Bart then walked away, whistling the theme song from "Rocky" as he walked.

"Burke will kill him," Sam whispered, as he ran his hand over his face. He knew that Deeks had been presented with an impossible choice.

Kensi immediately went to Deeks and hugged him tightly. "I can't," he said, as he held her, already knowing what she wanted him to do.

"You HAVE to," Kensi stated as she pulled back and gazed at him intently. "Sam's right, Deeks. That animal will kill Callen. Five strokes, Deeks. It will be over before you've begun."

Deeks shook his head, his eyes full of tears as he was overcome with memories of his mother being beaten by his father. He couldn't do it. He couldn't hit Kensi. Even one stroke was more than he could bear.

Sam sighed then went over to the young detective and put his hand on Deeks' uninjured shoulder. "Deeks…Deeks…I don't want Kensi hurt either…I can't imagine how difficult this is for you, but…this is life or death."

"Sam don't," Callen said quietly. "Leave him alone. You can't expect him to hurt Kensi…"

Sam turned to his partner, looking like he was about to explode. "You know I don't want him to have to hurt her, but G…that guy will kill you. Look what one punch did to you. He…will…kill…you…" He spoke slowly, emphasizing each word.

"You're not giving me much of a chance, Sam. Do you really have so little faith in me?" Callen asked, trying to smirk, but not really pulling it off. "I was handcuffed when he hit me before. I'll be able to defend myself this time…"

"Really, G? Really?" Sam asked, shaking his head. "You're in terrific shape to try to fight him. You're hurt and weak and you're half his size. You know…you know what will happen… He's been chomping at the bit to get his hands on you. Maybe he'll be merciful and decide not to kill you, but I wouldn't count on it."

Deeks just listened to them, looking shell-shocked and deeply shaken. "Deeks? Deeks, it will be all right," Kensi pleaded softly. "I promise we'll get through this, sweetheart." She put her hand on his cheek and looked at him intently. "I know you would never, ever hurt me on your own. This won't change anything between us."

Deeks shook his head slowly. "I just…I don't think I can do it, Kens…I just don't…" His eyes went to Callen who looked calm and collected now. Seemingly, he had mentally moved past the whipping. It was almost as if he was resigned to his fate. He then looked at Sam who was pacing back and forth, looking very distraught.

"Deeks?" Kensi tried again. "Honey, I'm sorry, but I don't think you have a choice here. You can't let that man loose on Callen. You just can't."

"I love you, Kensi…more than anything in this world. You can't expect me to hurt you like that."

"Deeks, please look at me," Kensi said. "I know you. You are strong and you will get past this, but…if he…if he kills Callen…you won't be able to forgive yourself…Please…you know what you have to do."

At that point, Bart came back over to them. "Well, Detective…I think I've given you sufficient time to make a decision."

"Wait!" Sam interrupted. "Bart…you're a reasonable man…I would like to volunteer to take Callen's place in this little scenario. Surely, you can see that he wouldn't stand a chance against Burke. He's weak. He's had no food or water in over 24 hours. In the spirit of fair play, please let me take his place."

Bart tapped his chin with his fingertips as he pondered or pretended to ponder Sam's offer. "I see your point about no food or water. Although I can't allow you to take his place, I'll tell you what. If the good detective picks Agent Callen, I will allow him to have some lunch and water to drink before the big event. There now, Detective. Doesn't that make you feel better?"

Deek stared back at Bart, his blue eyes filled with hatred and resentment. "No…it doesn't make me feel better you sick bastard."

"Tsk, tsk, detective. Don't be like that. I have given you a perfectly reasonable decision to make. I'm not an animal. Five strokes is child's play, even for a woman and Agent Callen is a trained agent, is he not? You have every reason to believe he can make a respectable showing against our friend, Burke. Size and power aren't everything, well…not always." Bart chuckled in amusement. "Now tell me, Detective, what is your decision? Will you strike Agent Blye or offer up Agent Callen to Burke?

Deeks looked at Callen whose head was bowed as he stared down at the ground. He then turned his gaze to Kensi who looked back at him with love and trust in her eyes as she nodded at him supportively.

"I…I pick Kensi," he whispered regretfully, feeling as if the weight of the world had just been placed on his shoulders.

xxxxx

 _"I have a feeling that a lot of you might not agree with Deeks' decision but I kept running it through my mind and I just didn't feel that he would allow Callen to be badly beaten and in all likelihood killed by Burke. I know I put him in a horrible situation. Sorry ;)_


	20. Chapter 20

_Thanks to those of you who are reading and supporting this story, as always. Now, a warning for this chapter. It is not pleasant reading at all and if you didn't like the last chapter, you definitely won't like this one. I don't like the idea of people being disturbed by this, so please don't read it if the story is making you upset. Things will get better but just not yet. Also, I'm leaving for a week-long cruise on Friday, so this won't be updated until at least next weekend. Thanks so much._

xxxxx

"Really?" Bart shot a somewhat disgusted look in Callen's direction and then stared at Deeks. "Interesting choice."

Deeks' eyes were full of rage as he stared back at Bart. "No, it's not interesting…its not interesting at all," he said.

"I'll let you cool off a bit before lunch," Bart said, a faint smile on his lips. "We won't have the festivities until later in the day.

"Festivities?" Deeks was seething as Bart walked away. "I'd like to show him some festivities."

"Thank you, Deeks," Kensi said as she put her arms around him. "I know how difficult that was for you."

"I don't know what you're thanking me for," Deeks said as he shook his head, his eyes full of emotion. He turned towards Callen and Sam and noticed that Callen was staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face. "What?"

"I just…I guess I don't understand."

"Really, Callen? Really?" Deeks asked angrily. "You don't understand why I didn't give you up to a psychopathic killing machine? What the hell is wrong with you anyway?"

"Deeks," Kensi rubbed his upper arm. "It's okay."

"It's not okay, Kensi…" Deeks replied. The way things were going, he really didn't know if it would ever be okay again.

xxxxx

"Are you all right, G?" Sam asked as he sat down near his partner who had just seated himself on the ground.

"I'm fine, Sam," Callen answered automatically. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Sam studied his partner with his eyes. "I don't know…maybe because I just whipped you not that long ago? Maybe because, for some reason that I don't understand, you think Deeks should have served you up to Burke on a silver platter."

Callen shook his head then directed his gaze to his partner. "A reason you don't understand? I don't like seeing my team hurt, especially not Kensi. Is that a good enough reason for you?"

"Come on, G," Sam said. "You can't really believe that Deeks made a wrong decision with this. He protected you."

"I didn't say he made a wrong decision, Sam," Callen replied. "I just…I don't like being the reason that anyone gets hurt."

"You're not the reason," Sam said softly. "Bart is the reason. He's… "

At that point, Callen just stopped listening to his partner. He was hurting and he desperately wanted to just go grab a bottle of water, the consequences be damned. However, he was sure that if he did that, Bart would find a way to take it out on someone else so there was no way he could even try.

Xxxxx

"Lunch time!" Bart called out, a short time later. "Come along, my little chickadees."

No one moved. Sam remained seated beside his partner and Kensi and Deeks didn't make a move to get up either. "What's this?" Bart asked.

"We're not eating unless G gets to eat to have lunch too," Sam replied defiantly.

"And whose decision was this?"

"It was a collective decision," Kensi answered. "We all agreed to it."

"Ah, a mutiny," Bart said, nodding. "Not the dumbest idea I've ever heard, but yet, not the smartest idea either."

"It is what it is," stated Sam.

Bart nodded and smiled as he glanced at Callen who appeared disinterested in the goings on and then his eyes went to Deeks who looked upset and distracted. He was pretty sure the reason wasn't Callen's inability to eat lunch. "That's just fine. You can all continue to have your little demonstration, but just remember, five hits with the bamboo cane can easily become 15 or 20. My punishments can be changed at my discretion. They can also be delivered by Burke instead of my detective friend. Does that sound like a pleasant idea, Agent Blye?"

Kensi paled but said nothing as Deeks stared at Bart. Deeks was about to say something, but Sam quickly spoke first. "You really are a coward," he stated. "You hone in on members of our team who have been physically compromised, but you rarely focus on me. Why is that, I wonder?"

"I don't know, Agent Hanna," Bart replied, seething. "I do know that it's a safe bet your partner will never have anything else to drink for the rest of his short and sorry life. He was an obnoxious brat when Henrietta took him in and he remains the same to this very day."

His words immediately caught Callen's attention and drew him out of his own thoughts. "What did I do to you?" he asked, honestly curious.

"You?" Bart looked at Callen as if he were an annoying insect to be swatted away. "You did nothing except rob me of a long-time friend."

Callen shook his head, appearing confused. "I don't understand how…"

"Shut up!" Bart shouted before looking over at Kensi, Deeks and Sam. "And you three had better come to lunch now or two of your team will pay the price and I assure you, it will not be something the two remaining team members will find very pleasant to witness."

Sam cast Callen an apologetic look with his eyes as he got up off the ground and Deeks and Kensi reluctantly followed suit. The trio then walked over to the table and sat down with Bart. There were assorted sandwiches, bags of chips and salad, along with plenty to drink as always. Sam was wracking his brain, trying to think of a way to get something to his partner, but a drink, which was what he knew G needed and wanted the most, seemed impossible. He glanced over at him and saw that Callen had pulled up his knees to his chest and buried his face. Luckily, Bart didn't seem focused on him.

Deeks had taken some food but it remained on his plate, untouched. He couldn't seem to get his mind off of what was coming later that day. To think of what he had to do to Kensi, to become, even temporarily, the same kind of monster that his father had been, that seemed incomprehensible to him.

"Deeks, you need to eat," Kensi, who was seated beside him, whispered. "Please."

Deeks, almost robotically did as Kensi requested. He picked up a sandwich and took a small bite, feeling as if he was eating sandpaper.

"So, Detective Deeks," Bart began as he looked over at the emotionally burdened man. "You haven't asked me what time the festivities will begin."

"Stop calling it that," Deeks growled quietly, his eyes dark and menacing as he focused them on Bart.

Bart gave a mock shudder. "Detective, you look positively scary." He then chuckled. "Call it whatever you like. What time do you think would be good?"

"Why don't you leave him alone?" Sam asked. "What kind of a sick human being spends all his time mentally and physically torturing people?"

"Oh, I don't know, the kind who has spent a long, long time in prison. People get bored, they come up with little ideas and projects…fun things to do."

"Didn't you ever hear of watercolor painting?" Sam asked.

"Shut up, Agent Hanna. Frankly, you're boring me," Bart stated. He turned his attention back to Deeks. "Detective, what time would you like to have our fest…um show?"

"How about the 12th of Never," Deeks answered, with another glare at Bart.

"No, no, I'm afraid that won't do at all. I suppose I'll have to surprise you. Now if I were you, I'd start eating with a bit more gusto or else I may have to double my pleasure, double my fun."

Deeks shot Bart a glowering look, but did as he was told, not able to bear the thought of having to hit Kensi more than the required five times.

While Deeks had Bart's attention, Sam had been slyly transferring cherry tomatoes, from the salad, into his pockets. He was pretty sure that no one had noticed as the guards were mostly just chatting among themselves at the moment. He'd wanted to get a clementine or two, but they would cause his pockets to bulge too much so he stuck with the cherry tomatoes.

Finally, the lunch came to its excruciating end. "I'm going to do you all a favor," Bart said as he wiped his mouth with his napkin then placed it down next to his plate. "I'm giving you a few hours of free time this afternoon before our little production, which will take place at 5 o'clock, right before dinner." Bart then got up and left the table.

As he stood up, Sam glanced over at Deeks to see how he was taking that news, but the younger man remained expressionless. Sam's gaze then met Kensi's who somberly said "I've got this."

Sam walked over to Callen who hadn't changed his position. "G?" he said softly as he squatted down next to him. "G…come into the tent with me."

"Why?" Callen asked. His tone sounded weary and very dejected.

"Never mind why. Can't you just do it?" Sam asked. Callen lifted up his head and looked at his partner. Sam couldn't help but notice how pronounced the circles were under his friend's eyes. He looked tired and drawn. "Come on, buddy. You can rest there."

"I can rest here too," Callen said.

Sam sighed, frustrated. "Will you just do this one damn thing for me, Callen?" he snapped.

Callen looked at his partner in surprise as did Kensi and Deeks who turned their eyes toward the other set of partners.

"I'm sorry, G," Sam said contritely. The last thing he meant to do was lose his patience with his friend. "Please?"

"Fine," Callen said as he slowly got to his feet and followed Sam over to the tent.

xxxxx

"Guess the pressure's getting to everyone," Kensi commented after Sam and Callen had disappeared into the tent.

"Yeah, I guess so," Deeks agreed, his eyes lowered as he looked down at the ground.

"Deeks, please talk to me," Kensi pleaded.

"I don't really want to talk about it, Kensi," he said. The whole thought of it made him feel sick and he'd already felt pretty sick on his own before this had happened.

"We can talk about something else then."

"I can't…I can't get this off my mind."

"You know this doesn't mean anything. You're nothing like your father."

Deeks said nothing at all to that. The kinds of thoughts milling around in his head were dark and horrid and nothing he could talk about, not even to the woman he loved more than anything else in the world.

"Deeks?" Kensi looked at him in the way he usually couldn't resist, but this time he did. He just shook his head .

"I'm sorry, Kens…I just can't," he whispered. "Please…Please just leave me alone…" His blue eyes were full of emotion and he appeared to be on the verge of breaking down at any moment. Kensi stared back at him for what seemed like forever, but was really only seconds, and finally did as he asked and left him alone.

xxxx

Callen walked into the tent and sat down then looked at his partner curiously. "Okay, Sam, you've got me here…what's up?"

Sam glanced outside to make sure no one was paying attention to them, then dug his hands into his pockets and pulled out the cherry tomatoes. "Here," he said, handing them to his partner. "I'll keep watch and make sure no one comes."

"How…" Callen stared at them, awestruck. "Thank you, Sam," he said as he put one into his mouth and slowly ate it, savoring the juicy goodness. Tomatoes weren't even his favorite thing, but at that moment eating one was pure bliss. "You shouldn't have risked it…but I'm glad you did…" He then began to eat another one, looking at his partner gratefully.

"I'm just sorry I couldn't get you a drink," Sam said, shaking his head. "There was just no way. Tomatoes are supposed to help with dehydration though. I know there aren't that many, but…hopefully they'll help a little anyway."

"These are definitely making me feel better," Callen said, as he continued to slowly munch on the tomatoes, savoring every bite, as the juice helped sooth his parched mouth and throat.

"Good. I'm glad," Sam said, smiling at his friend.

When he was down to the last four, Callen gave Sam a questioning look. "Do you think I should ration them?" he asked.

Sam considered the question for a few moments and then shook his head. "I wouldn't, G," he replied. "You never know if or when Bart could pull some kind of a search. I don't want you to get into trouble. In any case, if the opportunity comes up, I'll try to get you more or something else if I can."

"No, don't, Sam. This was good," Callen said as he put another tomato into his mouth. "I don't want Bart to have anything else to hold against us. I'll be okay."

Sam nodded, but as far as he was concerned the idea was still very much in play. If he could find a way to make things better for G, he was going to do everything in his power to make it happen.

xxxxx

After Callen had finished eating the tomatoes, he and Sam rejoined their teammates outside. Kensi and Deeks were apart so Callen joined Deeks and Sam went over to Kensi. "How are you holding up?" Callen asked.

"I'm fine," Deeks replied, making it very obvious that he was anything but fine. "What about you two? You didn't exactly seem too good yourselves a little while ago."

"We're good," Callen said. He then lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Sam managed to smuggle me some cherry tomatoes."

"Yeah?" Deeks actually smiled at the news. It was nice to hear something good for a change. "That's great, Callen."

Callen nodded. "Yeah…I've got to admit, they tasted pretty damn good to me."

"I bet…" Deeks' uplift in mood over Callen's good fortune only lasted for moments before he thought about what lay ahead for him and Kensi. It then swiftly plummeted again.

"Deeks…" Callen began slowly as he stared at the younger man who wasn't meeting his eyes. "I'm really sorry about all this…"

Deeks sighed heavily then finally looked back at Callen. "Why?" he asked. "Why are you sorry, Callen?"

"Why? I…" Callen hesitated as Deeks nodded.

"Exactly," Deeks said. "You don't have any more reason to be sorry than the rest of us. Just because some psycho decided to be jealous of you when you were a kid or whatever stupid reason he has for holding a grudge? It's not your fault, Callen. If you persist in thinking it is your fault, well then you're an even bigger glutton for punishment than I ever thought you were."

"Can I at least say I feel bad then?" Callen finally asked, his blue eyes sincere, after a few long moments of silence.

"Yeah," Deeks said, his own eyes filled with sadness as he looked back at Callen. "It's okay for you to say that."

xxxxx

While Callen was talking to Deeks, Sam made his way to Kensi and sat down next to her. "You doing okay, Kens?" he asked quietly.

Kensi started to nod, then shook her head. "No…not really."

Sam was astute enough to know that she wasn't worrying about her own welfare. "He's going to get through this…he'll be okay."

"You don't understand, Sam," Kensi said. "He…I'm just not sure that he will come through this…There are things…" Kensi stopped herself, not feeling comfortable talking about Deeks behind his back. "I just don't know."

"If there's anyone who can get him through this, Kensi…it's you," Sam stated gently. "He loves you more than anything. I truly believe he'll get through this as long as you're by his side."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere," Kensi said as she looked over where Deeks and Callen were talking. "So I really hope you're right."

xxxxx

The afternoon seemed to stretch on interminably for the team. Deeks felt like hell, but the emotional ramifications of what lay ahead prevented him from even attempting to rest. Kensi kept a close watch over him, but kept her distance. She was certain that Deeks knew she was there for him if he needed her. Callen found that the cumulative effect from his injuries was beginning to take its toll. Exhausted and in a fair amount of pain, he finally went into the tent where he slept restlessly. For Sam, his partner uncharacteristically sleeping in the middle of the day furthered his concern and he found himself obsessively watching Callen and inwardly fretting each time he uttered a whimper or groan in his sleep.

At a little before 5, Bart barged into the tent where Sam and Callen were. "Wake up your partner, Agent Hanna," he ordered, "or I'll have Burke do it for you and chances are you or he won't like that very much." He then left the tent and Sam glanced over at Callen, surprised that Bart's rather loud appearance hadn't awoken him.

"Hey, G?" he called softly as he gently shook Callen's shoulder. "Come on, you've got to wake up."

Callen, who was curled on his side, began to stir. Still half asleep, he rolled onto his back and hissed as the sudden pain jarred him awake and he quickly sat up. "Damn it!" he exclaimed as his eyes opened fully.

"Sorry, man," Sam said. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Callen said although he looked and sounded grouchy.

"Come on…Bart wants us outside."

Callen paled slightly at Sam's words and he stood up and followed his partner outside to where Deeks and Kensi were already standing with Bart.

"Agent Callen, you're awake!" Bart called out. "I thought I was going to have to send Burke in to wake you."

Callen shot Bart a dirty look, but didn't speak, not wanting to antagonize the man who could easily retaliate against his teammates.

Kensi managed to smile faintly at Sam and Callen, but Deeks appeared to be a mess over what was about to happen, looking grim and emotional. Kensi took his hand and squeezed it tightly. "Everything is going to be okay," she whispered.

"Carlos!" Bart called out. "If you please, bring the instrument."

"He's a real jackass," Sam whispered to Callen. "He's doing everything he can to make this torturous for Deeks."

Carlos walked over to the group, carrying a long bamboo cane which he held out to Deeks. Deeks' arms remained at his sides as he made no move to take it.

"I suggest you take the cane, Detective or I know someone who will be very glad to take your place," Bart said. He smiled as Deeks reached for the cane, his hand trembling slightly as he did so. "Very good. Now, Agent Blye, will you please kneel down in front of this tree and wrap your arms around it.

Kensi shared a long look with Deeks. "I love you, no matter what," Kensi said loudly. She then smiled at him as if they were the only two people in the world. She knelt in front of the tree as Bart directed and Carlos bound her wrists so she couldn't move away.

"Now, Detective…five hits with the cane and you had better make them count, because if you don't…well…your girlfriend will have a private disciplinary session with Burke." Burke, who was watching from a few feet away, leered at Kensi and licked his lips.

"You really are a bastard," Deeks said to Bart, the pure hatred he felt for the man very apparent from the expression on his face. "Someday you're going to get what's coming to you and I hope I'm the one to give it to you."

"We all have our unrequited dreams," Bart said, smiling unperturbed at Deeks' words. "Now if you please…I'd like to get this over with. I'm hungry and it's almost time for dinner."

Tears in his eyes, Deeks raised his hand and struck Kensi across the back.

"Again!" Bart screamed as Deeks hit her once more.

"Again! Harder!"

"Sam…we've got to stop this," Callen said, making a move towards Deeks. Sam quickly grabbed his friend and pulled him back.

"No, G! If you do anything, you're only going to make it worse," Sam hissed at his partner. "This has to be done."

Callen was pale and appeared upset, but he did as Sam said and made no further attempt to stop what was happening.

Two more hits and it was over. Deeks let the cane fall to the ground and doubled over, feeling as if he was going to be sick. He didn't think he had ever felt so horrible about himself. He was now officially a woman beater…a filthy animal, just like his father…


	21. Chapter 21

_So sorry for the long wait for an update. I came home from my vacation with a really bad case of bronchitis and have been taking care of my nephews while their parents are away. In any case, here it is, I hope you like it, and I appreciate your support, as always :)_

xxxxx

"I'll go to Deeks. You go to Kensi," Sam said to Callen who nodded in agreement. Sam then went over to the young detective who was now kneeling on the ground, looking very pale and somewhat dazed. "Hey Deeks," Sam said gently as he squatted down beside him and put his hand on Deeks' shoulder. "Can you stand up? Let's go over there by those trees so we can talk." He indicated an area where they would be able to have a bit of privacy. Deeks didn't move though, nor did he really appear to pay any attention to Sam's words. "Deeks, come on," Sam said, more loudly.

"What do you want, Sam?" Deeks finally asked, looking at Sam wearily. "There's nothing to talk about."

"From my perspective, there's plenty to talk about," Sam said. "Come on, Deeks…please? I'm just asking for a few minutes."

Deeks stared at Sam, his blue eyes filled with anguish. "You have no idea what I'm going through," he said.

Sam shook his head. "I gave my best friend 20 lashes with a whip earlier today," he said, his eyes appearing haunted by the memory. "I think I have some frame of reference in this situation. Come on…just for a few minutes?"

"Fine." Deeks reluctantly followed Sam over to the cluster of trees and crossed his arms over his chest defensively as he waited for Sam to speak. "It's not the same you know."

"What's not the same?" Sam asked quietly.

"What you did to Callen…it doesn't compare to what I had to do to Kensi."

Sam ran his hand over his face then looked back at Deeks. "This isn't some kind of a contest," he said. "Which of us hurt our partners more? I don't think either of us wants to win that one."

"Hurting Callen…that's not the same as having to hurt the woman that you love," Deeks said, very softly, obviously disturbed by the memory of what he had done.

"Maybe not," Sam said quietly, "but it's still not easy…and it still hurt me. I didn't want to hurt him. I hate that I had to. He's gone through enough…too much…"

"He didn't have to," Deeks said quietly.

"What?"

"I offered, Sam. You could have whipped me instead of Callen. Then you wouldn't be feeling whatever it is you're feeling now."

Sam shook his head, his eyes sad as he looked back at Deeks. "I really hope that's not what you think," he said. "Do you honestly think I would have been okay with whipping you? That it wouldn't have affected me?"

"It still wouldn't have been the same…we're not partners. No matter what you say, it would have been different." Deeks looked over to where Callen and Kensi were talking. "I can't imagine what she thinks of me now," he said, filled with remorse over what he had done.

"She doesn't think any differently of you," Sam said, trying to reassure him. "She loves you, Deeks, just as much as she always has."

"Yeah…that's an easy thing to tell myself," Deeks said, "that is until the first time she flinches away from me or looks at me with fear in her eyes…"

"That's never going to happen," Sam said. "All of us know what's going on here. We've all been forced to make choices against our will, to do things we would never do on our own. You know this to be true, Deeks."

Deeks shook his head, totally caught up in his own thoughts. "You just don't get it, Sam…" he said softly. "You don't know…"

"Then help me to get it, Deeks," Sam encouraged. "Maybe if you can explain, I can help you with what you're feeling."

Deeks sighed heavily, his eyes once again on Kensi. "No one can help me with this…"

xxxxx

"Kens?" Callen cautiously made his way over to where Kensi was huddled on the ground at the foot of the tree. He knelt on the ground beside her and looked at her with concern. "Hey…how are you doing?" he asked.

Kensi gave Callen a faint smile. "I'll be fine, Callen," she said. "It's Deeks I'm worried about."

"Sam is with him. He'll be okay." Callen said reassuringly. "Kens? Can I take a look at your back?"

Kensi hesitated and then finally nodded, but she visibly tensed as Callen lifted up the back of her shirt.

"It doesn't look that bad," Callen said, cringing when he saw the damage on Kensi's back. The welts were dark red and angry-appearing, each one with a slight bit of blood showing in the middle of it. Although the marks looked as painful as hell, Callen was relatively sure they would not scar. He hoped not at least, knowing what the physical evidence on Kensi's back would do to Deeks' state of mind.

"Really?" Kensi turned to face Callen as he let her shirt drop back down.

Callen nodded. "Really, Kens…I know they hurt, but…I think they'll fade away in time and it will be like nothing ever happened." Even as he said the words though, he knew that they weren't true. Although the physical evidence might fade away into nothingness, there was no way the psychological wounds of what had happened to them at the hands of Bart would ever be erased.

xxxxx

"Dinner is served," Bart called out. Deeks, Kensi and Sam went over to the table and Callen decided to follow along. Bart raised an eyebrow in amusement when Callen sat down with the others. "I don't recall you being invited to the table," he said to him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just assumed when you had guests it was rude not to invite them all for dinner." Callen unconsciously licked his lips as he eyed the pitchers of cold drinks on the table.

"Well, you assumed wrong. Now if I were you, I would leave the table before one of your teammates has to pay the price for your presence."

Callen stared at Bart, mentally weighing his options, but looking at the armed men circling the table and his unarmed friends, he slowly got up and left the table without saying another word.

Bart smiled in satisfaction as Callen left and then turned his attention to Sam. "You may have noticed that this evening's salad doesn't contain any cherry tomatoes. There seems to have been a shortage." Sam's expression didn't change, but Bart laughed anyway. "I actually let that good deed go unpunished. You get some points for cleverness, Agent Hanna, but I'm always one step ahead of you. Your partner got to eat the tomatoes because I chose for him to be able to do so. Unfortunately, for him, there will be no more such treats and any more attempts to give him any will result in very unpleasant circumstances for him and for you. In any case, he's not going to have to worry about his thirst for very much longer."

"What does that mean?" Sam asked, his suspicions immediately aroused.

"It means that the game ends tomorrow."

"How?" Deeks was unable to hold the question inside. "How does it end?"

Bart smiled as he looked at Deeks with false sympathy. "I'm afraid not very pleasantly, but all will be revealed tomorrow. Oh look! Chocolate mousse for dessert. One of my favorites. I suggest you eat up. Chances are it's the last time you'll be able to eat such a lovely dessert."

xxxxx

After Callen was banished from the table, he sat on the ground for a bit but then, feeling a coughing fit coming on, went into the tent where he could more easily muffle it by burying his head into his sleeping bag. He didn't want to give Bart the satisfaction nor did he want to worry Sam. The cough had settled deeply in his chest and caused him a lot of pain in his ribs every time he needed to cough. He vaguely wondered what his back looked like. He didn't think he was particularly vain as far as his appearance went, but it didn't mean he wanted a bunch of crisscrossed lines covering his back either. He badly needed to get some fluid into him. The cherry tomatoes had made him feel a little bit better, but their magic had worn off and he longingly thought how good it would be to drink an ice cold bottle of water.

"G?" Sam walked into the tent and looked at his partner with concern. Callen was curled up on his side but it just wasn't like him to be this tired so early in the evening. Then again, he hadn't been able to eat or drink anything and he still had that cold or whatever it was going on with him. Callen's cough had been worsening, but the partners were avoiding speaking of it, knowing there was nothing they could do about it.

"Hey Sam," Callen sat up and looked back at his partner. "How was dinner?"

Sam just shrugged but his eyes were serious as he began to speak. "Bart said something I think you need to know about."

"What?" Callen asked, smirking slightly. "Is he taking the blankets away too?"

Sam shook his head, looking subdued. "No, G…he said that the game ends tomorrow…"

Callen's expression changed to mirror Sam's. "What does that mean?" he asked.

"I think we know what it means," Sam stated grimly.

xxxxx

"Deeks," Kensi called softly, stopping him before he was about to enter the tent after Sam. "I don't think Sam needs you with him to check on Callen. I'd like to talk to you…please?"

Deeks sighed as he just stood there, facing the tent, not moving.

"Deeks…"

Finally he turned and faced her, looking positively grief-stricken. "Oh baby, please don't look at me like that," Kensi went to him and placed her hand on the side of his face as she stared into his eyes. "I'm okay. I promise."

"How…how can you even talk to me…or look at me…" Deeks whispered.

"I love you, Deeks," Kensi said. "None of this was your fault."

He shook his head. "I should have thought of something…I never should have hurt you."

Kensi looked at him intently. "What could you have thought of?" she asked him. "Callen and Sam haven't been able to think of a way for us to get out of this situation either. You're putting much too much pressure on yourself. You had to do what he said, either that or let Burke have his way with Callen. How would you be feeling if you'd done that? If Callen was lying in that tent beaten within an inch of his life or worse…if Burke had killed him? Would that have made you feel better?"

"No."

"I didn't think so."

"How bad…" Deeks closed his eyes for a long moment and then opened them, watching her closely. "How much pain are you in, Kens?"

Kensi shook her head and smiled at him. "Callen said it doesn't look very bad at all, Deeks. Please don't worry about it."

"I didn't ask you what Callen said, Kensi. I asked you how much pain you're in."

"Some…" she replied, looking down at the ground. "Not a lot."

"Let me see it," Deeks demanded, louder than he had intended.

Kensi shook her head. "No, Deeks, please…not now."

"But you let Callen see it?"

"It's not the same with Callen," she said. "I just…I don't want to make you feel worse than you already feel."

"I don't think that's possible," he said.

"Well…I'm just not ready for you to see it," she said. "Please, Deeks. I'd like you to respect my wishes on this."

He stared at her for a long moment and then slowly nodded. "All right," he said. When it came right down to it, he really didn't feel he had the right to ask her anyway. All he could do was hope she forgave him for what he had done, but he was pretty sure he would never forgive himself.

xxxxx

Remember everything we've spoken of, Mr. Beale," Hetty said as she placed the last tiny tracking device on his shirt. "You know we'll be keeping very close tabs on you and once we get a good idea of what exactly is going on, we will be there with a team and hopefully a successful rescue operation will take place." She looked up at him and smiled. "Please be careful, but I have the utmost confidence in your ability to carry this out successfully."

"Thank you, Hetty," Eric said, giving her a nervous smile.

"Be careful, Eric," Nell said as she put her arms around him and drew him in for a hug. "Remember, we'll be watching and tracking you the whole time."

"I'll remember, Nell. I'll see you soon." Eric gave a quick goodbye wave to the women and headed off to release Michael Shaughnessy from custody and put their plan into action.

xxxxx

Callen hadn't been sleeping well. He'd been tossing and turning since the team had gone to bed, which had been driving Sam to distraction. His murmuring had been mostly undecipherable, but one word stood out clearly among the others and cut Sam to the quick. "Thirsty."

"Sam?"

"Yeah, G, what it is?" Sam asked, creeping closer to Callen's side and looking at him under the dim light of the lantern, which lit the inside of their tent. His hand automatically went to Callen's forehead and his heart sunk when he felt the heat emanating from it. "Are you cold?" he asked hopefully. It was the one thing he could actually help him with.

Callen shook his head. "I'm thirsty, Sam. Can I have some water, please?"

Sam hesitated, feeling as if he'd been kicked in the stomach before he shook his head. "I'm sorry, G. We don't have any water."

"I need to go find some," Callen said as he sat up and shoved aside the top of the sleeping bag and the blankets that were covering him. "I need a drink."

"G, no," Sam grabbed his partner and tried to get him to lay down again, but Callen struggled against him.

"Stop it, Sam," Callen called out, in obvious distress, his eyes glazed from the fever now ravaging his body. "Let me go. I'm thirsty. Why won't you let me get some water? Please!"

By this time, Deeks and Kensi were awake and watching the situation as it elevated, both with despair in their eyes.

"Come on, G," Sam pleaded with his partner. "Just lie down, please? You need to get some sleep. You'll be able to drink soon."

Callen shook his head. "No, no. I want a drink now, Sam. If you won't get me one, I'll get one myself. I need a drink."

"There is nothing to drink," Sam lied. "You can't have anything right now. Just…just go to sleep, G."

"You're lying," Callen said, an accusatory look in his eyes as he stared at his partner. "Why? Why won't you let me have some water? Are you saving it all for yourselves?" He turned away from Sam and glared at Kensi and Deeks. "You're all being pretty selfish if you ask me." He then got to his feet and started walking towards the tent opening.

At that point, Sam grabbed him in a bear hug and pulled his struggling partner down to the ground, holding him tightly. "I'm sorry, buddy," he said, "I can't let you do that."

"Why won't you let me have some water?" Callen asked, struggling futilely against Sam's hold. "You…you're a bully, Sam. You're much bigger than me. Let me go!"

"This is for your own good," Sam said. He could feel that his friend's struggles were beginning to grow weaker and he breathed a sigh of relief. All he wanted was for Callen to tire himself out and get some much needed sleep.

"I…I would never keep water from you, Sam…I wouldn't," Callen said weakly before falling into an exhausted sleep, still in Sam's arms.

"I know you wouldn't, G," Sam said as he carefully lowered his partner back to his sleeping bag and covered him with the blankets. "More than anything, I wish I could get you some water." He went over to the entrance to the tent and looked outside. There were three armed guards within his direct sightline and more of Bart's men milling about a little farther away. He wouldn't be able to go five feet without getting shot down. There was no way to get his partner some much needed water to drink…there was no way at all to escape… although he was beginning to wonder if getting quickly shot down was the preferable option in this whole fiasco.

"Sam?" Kensi came up to him, her eyes sympathetic. "He didn't mean any of that…he doesn't even know what he's saying."

"I know that, Kensi," Sam turned to her with a forced smile. "But he desperately needs water and I feel awful that I can't get it for him."

"Hopefully, he'll get it soon," she said.

Sam shook his head and he turned so that he was facing both Deeks and Kensi. "I don't think Bart is going to be letting him have water…he'd be perfectly happy to let G die of thirst. In any case…I've been thinking about his final game, whatever it may be and, unless we get some kind of help from an outside source…we're not going to be getting out of his. We all know what Bart intends as his end game, just not what sick way he wants to accomplish it."

"Sam…" Kensi said, shaking her head. "We can't give up…"

Deeks took her hand and squeezed it. "Let's listen to him, Kens…" he said softly.

"I can't speak for the two of you," he began, "but for me…" He looked over at his sleeping partner. "And I'm sure for G too…I'm not going to carry out his final plan to finish any of you off…so, if it comes down to it tomorrow, I'm going to try to take someone's gun and take as many of them down as I can before they take me down. I know it's what G will want too. I'd rather just go down in a hail of gunfire than to fall prey to whatever his final chapter is going to be. I'm sure it won't be good for any of us."

Kensi and Deeks shared a long look and then nodded, their mutual decision made. "It won't be just you and Callen," Deeks said softly. "We'll be in there fighting with you, Sam. We won't go down without a fight." He knew the chances that even one of them would survive were extremely poor, but it was the principal of the thing and hopefully, one of them would be lucky enough to shoot Bart and wipe that bastard off the face of the earth.


	22. Chapter 22

_I thought there would be more happening in this chapter, but the characters kind of took over so it's more transitional. The next chapter will be a big one. As always, thanks so much for reading and all of your support. (Also, I think I missed a bunch of personal responses to notes for the last chapter and I really apologize for that - I didn't do them right away and then I think I forgot - sorry about that)_

xxxxx

It was a very long night.

Deeks and Kensi held each other, neither willing to sleep if this was to be the last night of their lives. Kensi was careful not to show Deeks that she was in pain and he did the same. He knew that he was feverish again, but with what was about to happen, it didn't seem to matter, nor did the infection he knew was festering in his shoulder. He had gotten used to the pain. It was just a part of him now.

"I feel sorry for Sam," Kensi whispered, her eyes focused on the senior agent as he sat with Callen keeping vigil. "I'm sure he's worried about his children. They just lost their mother a few months ago…"

Deeks nodded. "I know…I can't imagine what that feels like. I mean, as horrible as this is for us, at least we're not going to leave people behind mourning for us."

"Deeks," Kensi said reproachfully. "What about our moms? You don't think they're going to be devastated by this? They say the worst loss is that of a child."

"I…" Deeks looked at Kensi and could see the emotion in her eyes. "Yeah, you're right. I just…I guess I didn't really want to think about that." His mom hadn't had the easiest life and now he was going to be bringing her even more grief.

"It's always hardest on the ones who are left behind," Kensi said softly.

Deeks took a deep breath as he tried to keep his emotions under control. They had no idea what tomorrow would bring, but for him, the very worst thing would be, to be the lone survivor. He was sure he wouldn't be able to take that and prayed to God that would not be his fate.

xxxxx

Sam hated seeing his partner like this. Callen was coughing in his sleep and obviously very uncomfortable as whimpered softly and tossed and turned frequently. Sam wished he could do something to help him, first on his list would be to get him some much needed water. He knew G was very dehydrated and that his fever was only serving to worsen his condition. He also couldn't get his mind off his children. He knew that the loss of their mother had caused them both tremendous pain. If they were now to lose him on top of that and G, who they were close to, as well…he couldn't even bear to imagine what that would do to them. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was 1:20 a.m. He then looked over at Kensi and Deeks. "I'm going outside for a bit," he said. "I won't be long. Let me know if G needs me."

Deeks and Kensi both nodded as Sam got up and headed outside the tent. Two of the guards looked over at him as they raised their weapons and pointed the rifles in his direction. "I'm just getting some air," he told them. They lowered the weapons but still kept a close eye on him.

He shook his head and approached a third guard who watched him carefully but didn't appear to be particularly menacing. "Hey there," Sam said when he reached him.

"What do you want?" the guard asked him gruffly.

"I was wondering if you might have some paper…and maybe a pen or pencil that I could borrow?"

The guard looked at him in confusion. It was obvious he hadn't expected Sam's request. "What do you need that for?"

"I'd like to write a letter to my children," Sam stated softly. "I know you don't particularly care, but…they lost their mother in May and now it looks like they're going to lose me too. Their mother never got the chance to say goodbye to them. It's important for me to be able to do so."

"I didn't know any of you had kids…"

Sam nodded. "I've got two, a son and a daughter… I just want to let them know how much I love them."

The guard stared at Sam for a long moment and then nodded. "I might have something," he said. "I'll be right back."

Sam hid his surprise at the guard's response and waited for him to return. "Here," the guard said as he handed Sam a notebook and a pen. "I have kids too…two girls…they're with their mother."

"Do you get to see them much?" Sam asked.

"I haven't seen them since I got out of prison."

"Prison?"

"Well, it's kind of obvious I'm no angel, ain't it?"

"So you got out, but now you got involved with this?"

The guard shrugged. "No one would give me a job. Bart and I met up in prison. We were friends. He kept in touch and offered me this gig. I gotta eat and pay the rent."

"I'm sure you could have found something else…now you're just going to be heading back to prison," Sam said.

"Maybe…maybe not. Gotta get caught before that happens."

"Yeah well…" Sam didn't continue as he didn't want to piss this guy off. He was the first one to have treated them with any kind of decency since this whole fiasco had begun. "I guess I'd better go and write my letter…thanks for this."

"You're welcome."

xxxxx

"Any change?" Sam asked as he went back into the tent, clutching the notebook and pen tightly.

Deeks shook his head. "No…he's pretty much the same."

Sam nodded and gave his partner a concerned look. He hated that these days had been so hard for him and that he hadn't been able to protect him or find a way to get him water, which should have been a simple thing to accomplish.

"Where did you get the notebook?" Deeks asked curiously.

"One of the guards," Sam explained. "I want to write my kids a letter…in case I don't see them again."

"Don't give up hope, Sam," Kensi said, appearing dismayed by his words. "We may still get out of this."

Sam nodded. "I hope so, but, I'll feel better if I do this."

"Maybe I'll write my mom something after you're through," Deeks said after thinking it over. "I mean if it's okay…"

"Of course it's okay, Deeks," Sam said. "I guess I'd better get working on mine then." They only had the one pen and he wasn't going to push his luck as far as that went.

xxxxx

When the letters by Sam, Deeks and Kensi, who had decided to write one to her mom, were completed, Sam brought the notebook and pen back outside to the guard who had given them to him. "Thanks," Sam said. "By the way, what's your name? Might be nice to know who I'm thanking."

"Wasn't any big deal," the guard said. "My name is Gary."

"Well, Gary. It might not have been a big deal for you, but it is for me and I'm sure it will mean a lot to my kids." He just hoped someone found the letters and made sure they were delivered to their families.

"You sound like you're already resigned to dying," Gary said, looking a bit troubled.

"Bart informed us that tomorrow is the end of the game. We're pretty outnumbered," Sam said. "I have to admit, I'm not optimistic about our chances. We're unarmed, my teammates are injured and…and my partner is in rough shape."

Gary nodded. "Just so you know…I don't agree with what Bart has done to him, not letting him have water. That's really shitty."

"I don't suppose you could get him any?" Sam asked, with a sudden surge of hope.

Gary shook his head quickly. "Sorry, but Bart made it clear there would be dire circumstances if any of us was to give him water. He really has it in for your partner."

"Yeah, I know," Sam replied, unhappy that he hadn't been able to get the much-needed water for Callen. He'd been briefly hopeful that he'd be able to get some for him. "Well…I'd better get back to him…thanks again for the paper and pen."

Gary just nodded and watched as Sam returned to the tent and disappeared inside.

xxxxx

About a half hour after Sam returned to the inside of the tent, Callen sat up suddenly, clutching his ribs tightly, in the midst of a violent coughing fit. Finally he managed to get his cough under control as he tried to catch his breath, red-faced and in obvious pain. "Damn it," he muttered in frustration.

"G? What can I do?" Sam asked, rattled by his inability to help his ailing friend.

"I…I'm alright, Sam," Callen replied as he shifted to try to find a more comfortable position.

"Sure you are," Sam said, shaking his head helplessly. At least Callen was lucid again so his temperature must have gone down some. "I'm so sorry about this, G…so sorry."

Callen looked at Sam, appearing confused. "Why are you sorry, Sam? None of this is on you."

"I'm sorry that I didn't protect you better. I haven't had your back the way I should have."

"What?" Callen shook his head uncomprehendingly. "This isn't your fault, Sam…I'm responsible for myself. In any case, there wasn't anything you could have done."

"I could have tried harder, G…I should have."

"Please don't, Sam," Callen said, coughing into the crock of his arm as he experienced another fit of coughing. "I…I don't want you blaming yourself after this is all over with."

"What do you mean by that?" Sam asked.

"You know what I mean," Callen said, staring at his partner meaningfully.

"Don't even go there, G," Sam said, shaking his head. "I mean it. Just…just don't."

"Fine." Callen didn't have the emotional or physical strength to even attempt to argue with Sam. It was easier just to go along with him and pretend that everything was going to be okay even though he knew it wouldn't be.

"Listen G," Sam began, his eyes intent as he looked at Callen. "Tomorrow…I don't know when, but at some point, Deeks, Kensi and I are going to try to take Bart's men down, or as many of them as we can. When we do, I want you to take cover just as quickly as you can. Just get the hell out of the line of fire and stay down."

"What?" Callen stared at Sam incredulously as he shook his head in disbelief. "You want me to run away?"

"I want you safe," Sam stated. "You don't have the strength to fight, G. I just don't want to have to worry about you." He glanced over at Deeks and mentally wondered if he had the strength to fight either, but at least he'd been given food and water and had been able to sustain some of his strength. He knew that G was drastically weakened.

"If you guys are fighting, I'm fighting with you," Callen said insistently.

Kensi and Deeks had been listening to the conversation, basically because they couldn't really avoid overhearing it in the close quarters. "Callen," Kensi said. "Let us have your back just this one time, okay?"

Callen shook his head stubbornly. "No. I'm going to be a part of this."

"Come on, man," said Deeks. "You're in no shape to try to fight. Kensi and Sam are right. We've got this."

"Really?" Callen asked. "Last time I looked you weren't exactly in great shape either, Deeks. Do you have access to some kind of miracle cure that I don't know about? Anyhow, there's strength in numbers and you guys are already vastly outnumbered."

"And what if one of Bart's men grabs you and you can't fight back? They can put a gun to your head and that's it. You could screw the whole thing up," Sam said harshly, knowing his words were going to hurt his partner, but still visibly wincing when he saw the stunned look on G's face.

"They could grab one of you too," Callen retorted angrily.

"Not as easily as you…Honestly G, I don't know how you can even stand on your own two feet at this point," Sam said.

Callen stared at Sam for a long moment and then closed off his emotions as he buried himself in his sleeping bag and turned his back on Sam and his younger teammates.

"Come on, G, I didn't mean it like it sounded. I just want you to be safe," Sam pleaded.

Callen remained silent as he refused to acknowledge Sam's words. He wondered how he had gone from team leader to someone who now wasn't even thought of as part of the team. They were treating him like a victim or a child. They thought he was useless…just a liability…

"He'll be okay, Sam," Deeks said quietly. "We're just trying to protect him. This is for his own good."

"Yeah…right…" Sam couldn't help the guilt he felt deep inside him at what he'd just said. Even though his heart was in the right place, he knew G didn't see it like that and he hated that he'd hurt him, especially now when the time they had left could be extremely limited.

xxxxx

Callen tried, but couldn't fall back to sleep. He just tossed and turned as the anger he'd been feeling eventually began to fade. He realized that all of them could be dead in mere hours and being angry with his best friend didn't seem to be the most productive use of his time. He painstakingly turned his body around and sat up as his eyes went toward his partner who was staring off into space, looking extremely troubled.

"Sam?"

"Yeah, G," Sam replied quietly as he looked over at him.

"Are you okay?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah…just thinking about things…"

"Listen…I'm sorry about before," Callen began. "I…I guess I overreacted."

Sam shook his head. "I don't blame you for being upset. I didn't handle that in the right way at all."

"I know you were just worried about me. I think we've got more important things to worry about than my hurt feelings," Callen admitted.

"Hurting you was never my intention," Sam said. "I just want you to get out of this alive…I want all of us to…"

"And you think my not being a part of this is the best way to accomplish it?" Callen asked, looking into Sam's eyes searchingly.

"I don't know," Sam finally admitted. He shook his head uncertainly then gazed back at Callen. "Look G…I trust you to make the right decision regarding this. Just…just do what you think is best, okay?"

Callen nodded. "If I really feel like I can't be of any usefulness, I'll do what you want, but if I think I can help, I'm not leaving you guys twisting in the wind while I run and hide."

"Fair enough, G," Sam said with a nod. "Why don't you try to rest up for a bit? Daybreak is going to be here before you know it." He knew the more rest Callen got, the better off he would be.

"Okay." Callen really was exhausted. He burrowed back into his sleeping bag and had just closed his eyes when he heard a movement by the opening to the tent and he opened them again. A tall guard with red hair and a red beard entered the tent, carrying a rolled up blanket. Deeks and Kensi immediately went on alert as did Callen.

"Hey Gary," Sam said quietly.

"Hey Sam…I got this for you…in case anyone needs it. Temperature is dropping," he said as he handed the bundle to Sam. He then lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Just make sure you don't aim it in my direction. I'm sticking my neck way out by doing this." He then left the tent rapidly.

"What is it?" Callen asked as he, Kensi and Deeks looked on curiously. Sam cautiously unrolled the blanket and his eyes widened when he discovered the compact assault rifle and box of ammunition.

"Oh man," Sam exclaimed softly.

Kensi, Deeks and Callen all exchanged smiles and suddenly the mood in the tent changed dramatically for the better. Finally, they stood a fighting chance.


	23. Chapter 23

_So, to those of you who have been reading and supporting this story, I'm so sorry for the delay. I went kind of overboard with Christmas stories, but I've gotten them out of my system now. Also, this chapter didn't really go as I expected and I'm sorry for this too. It ends with a cliffhanger so I'm warning you in case you'd like to just wait for the next chapter before reading it. Since I'm home with the blizzard raging outside, I thought it was better to post something at least, since I feel bad I've been overlooking this one. Thanks to all of you who continue to support it. I appreciate it more than I can say._

xxxxx

Sam's eyes were fixed on Callen who was once again murmuring fretfully in his sleep. Maybe it was a nightmare, maybe it was from being sick or in pain. Sam just didn't know.

"Are you alright, Sam?" Kensi asked. She looked at him through troubled eyes, already knowing the answer to her question.

Sam shook his head slowly. "I don't know which is worse, do I just leave him to suffer in his sleep or do I wake him? Which is crueler?"

"I think I'd leave him until he has to wake up," Kensi answered quietly. "Maybe he doesn't feel thirst when he's asleep."

"Maybe," Sam said although he didn't really believe it. He was pretty sure his partner was now in a constant state of suffering. He noted the exact moment Callen started to shiver and quickly got another blanket which he gently draped over his partner. "Shh…it's okay G," he whispered. "You're going to be okay." He watched as his partner eventually calmed down and settled into a more restful sleep.

xxxxx

"Callen's going to die." Deeks' eyes were filled with despair and he spoke almost robotically, looking to be a million miles away.

"Deeks, stop it," Kensi scolded him in a whisper. "Sam doesn't need to hear that."

"You really think Sam doesn't know?" Deeks asked.

"Don't say that...Callen will be okay." Kensi glanced over at the other set of partners, but Sam didn't appear to be listening and Callen, thankfully, was asleep. "Are you feeling worse?" She reached out to feel Deeks' forehead, but he ducked away from her hand. "This isn't helping anything." Kensi said as she dropped her hand, her eyes still focused on Deeks.

"How's your back?" he asked, finally meeting her gaze, his blue eyes reflecting all the pain he was trying to keep buried inside.

"It's fine," she stated. If he was going to keep his true feelings hidden from her, she was going to do the same thing.

"I know it's not fine," Deeks said.

"It is fine and even if it wasn't, this wouldn't be the time to be worrying about it."

"Sam is worried about Callen," Deeks said.

"Callen isn't doing well. Of course Sam is worried," Kensi said. "You're not doing very well either, no matter how much you try to sugarcoat it. I know the truth."

Deeks neither confirmed nor denied Kensi's words. Inwardly though, he knew that she could never truly understand. He wouldn't want her to. Nor could he explain how every time he flashed back to what he had done, he saw his father's image and wondered if the wicked sickness in him had been passed on from father to son. If that was truly the case, he didn't think it would be something that he could live with. He would rather die than to be like that monster.

xxxxx

"Bart wants you to report for breakfast," one of the guards said as he peered in through the opening of the tent. "Get your asses out there now."

Sam stood up and Deeks and Kensi followed suit, giving Sam a curious look. "Aren't you going to wake Callen?" Kensi asked.

"G isn't allowed to sit at the table, so no, I'm not waking him."

Deeks and Kensi exchanged an uneasy look, already suspecting breakfast would not be a pleasant affair, not that they had ever been under the illusion that it would be. The three of them walked outside and over to the table where Bart sat waiting.

"Where's Agent Callen?" Bart growled as the three team members took their customary seats at the table.

"I didn't think you wanted him here," Sam said pleasantly. "You usually don't."

"Get him or I'll get him for you," Bart said, his eyes narrow and furious. "I highly doubt you want me to get him for you."

"I'll get him," Sam said quickly, inwardly cursing Bart, wishing he could get him alone with no weapons for just five minutes. He'd make him pay and pay dearly for everything he had done to G, Kensi and Deeks. He got up from his seat and walked back to the tent then knelt down beside his partner. He hated to wake him, especially when he hadn't been sleeping peacefully for very long at all. "G?" Sam gently patted Callen's shoulder. "Hey buddy, come on, can you wake up for me?"

Callen's only response was to burrow further under the blankets with a slight groan.

"TODAY, AGENT HANNA!" Bart screamed from outside.

"Bastard," Sam mumbled shaking his head. "G, wake up." He spoke a little more urgently now and used more force as he shook Callen's shoulder. "G, you've got to get up. Come on. Now."

"Go away, Sam," Callen mumbled, sluggish and slow to respond to what Sam wanted him to do.

Sam sighed, hating himself as he slapped Callen's cheek, not very hard, but it was nothing he wanted to do either. He felt like he was picking on a wounded puppy or kitten. "G! GET UP!"

Finally, Callen opened his eyes and looked groggily at his partner. "What?"

"Bart wants us, now. Come on, G. You need to get up." He practically manhandled Callen to get him out from under all of the blankets and the sleeping bag and felt a stab of remorse when his partner started to shiver. Sam wished he had a jacket to give him. Somehow, he didn't think Bart would look favorably upon Callen showing up wrapped in a blanket. "Come on…you have to stand up." Callen managed to get to his feet and stood there, still appearing somewhat dazed. He swayed slightly as he looked to Sam for guidance. Sam shook his head, feeling like a heel as he slapped his cheek once more, this time getting a more desired reaction.

"What are you doing?" Callen asked, partly stunned, but a larger part angry. "Cut it out."

"I'm sorry, G," Sam said contritely. "But we have to go outside. Bart wants you there too."

Finally awake, Callen took a few moments to mentally get his bearings and steel himself for whatever was coming next. He then turned to Sam. "Fine…let's go see what that son of a bitch is up to now."

xxxxx

"It's about time." Bart glared at the two agents when they finally arrived at the table and sat down next to each other. Sam was careful to sit closest to Bart as to keep his partner out of arm's reach. He knew it likely wouldn't protect him at all, but it still made him feel slightly better, having no idea what evil Bart was brewing up.

"You may eat," Bart said. "Then we will get to the business at hand."

"Why don't you just cut to the chase?" Sam said angrily. "None of us want to eat. Just tell us how this damn game ends."

Bart pounded his fist on the table. "You do not dictate the rules, Agent Hanna!" he bellowed. "You will do as I say or suffer the consequences!"

Not wanting to risk the well-being of his teammates, Sam silently began to eat his breakfast and Kensi and Deeks followed his example. None of them even looked at Callen, not wanting to know how he was affected. For his part, Callen just focused his thoughts elsewhere. He was now used to not eating and the thought of doing so actually made him nauseous. Drinking was a whole other matter, but he diverted his attention away from the table and gazed off into the distance, losing himself in his thoughts.

"Agent Callen? Aren't you thirsty? Wouldn't you like a drink?" Bart asked coaxingly.

Callen refused to be baited though. He ignored Bart, not even looking in the other man's direction. "I asked you if you'd like a drink?" Bart repeated, obviously riled by his inability to get a rise out of Callen.

Callen finally turned his head in Bart's direction. "No thank you," he said coldly.

"You're lying," Bart said. "I know you want a drink. Admit it!"

Callen smirked, pleased with his ability to aggravate Bart. "I don't."

"You always were nothing but trouble," Bart snarled. "Why Henrietta took you in is something I'll never understand."

"That makes us even," Callen said, a faint smile touching the corners of his lips. "Why she was ever friends with a piece of scum like you is something I'll never understand." He then turned his attention away from Bart and resumed looking off in the direction of the woods.

Bart stared at Callen, fuming and red-faced, but he didn't say anything else, knowing he would soon be finished dealing with Callen and his insufferable team once and for all.

xxxxx

At last, the intolerable breakfast came to an end and the team sat, looking at Bart, waiting for whatever came next. For his part, Sam was actually wishing the weapon he had been given was small enough to have been brought to the table undetected. If so, he would have just shot Bart then and there. He wondered if that happened, what the result would be. Would Bart's men continue to fight them or would they all just tumble like a falling house of cards?

"Burke?" Bart called out, at that point getting the team's full attention. "Please bring the tray."

Moments later, Burke arrived at the table and placed a tray in front of Bart, openly smirking as he did so. The tray held three different vials, each with a different color liquid inside.

"This is the final part of the game," Bart said loudly and dramatically. "As you can see, I have three separate vials on this tray. "Goldenrod," he said, touching the first one, "amber, and emerald." He smiled almost lovingly as he gently caressed the other two vials. "Two of them contain a deadly poison which, when ingested, will kill almost instantly. The other is harmless."

He turned to Callen, his eyes dark and dangerous. "I'm sure it will be of no surprise to you, that this final choice is yours. I will give you one hour to make it."

Callen shook his head. "What do you mean? Pick who drinks what?"

"Do it however you wish. You don't need to pick who drinks what. Have your team do it. I don't really care."

"There are four of us," Sam said, "but only three vials?"

"One of you will be spared from this unfortunate fate. He or she will be flown to an isolated location, with whoever drinks from the lucky vial. Whether you want your dead companions to accompany you for proper disposal or burial will also be your choice. It will likely only take you a day or two to find your way to help and then return home where you can live the rest of your lives in peace and harmony."

"You've seriously got to be kidding me," Deeks said, his eyes filled with every negative emotion one could think of. "Peace and harmony? After what you've done? The only thing that would ever give me peace is to see you dead or rotting away in an isolated cell for the rest of your hopefully very short and torturous life."

"Yes, well, sadly for you, Detective, I don't think you'll ever receive the peace you may be striving for." Bart turned his attention towards Kensi. "How is your back, my dear? I hope not too painful?"

"You son of a bitch," Kensi said, her eyes filled with rage. "You really are a sick and twisted coward. What did Callen ever do to you?"

"Nothing," Bart said as he started to laugh, almost demonically. "He didn't do a thing, Agent Blye except to be taken in by that woman. She chose not to help me when I needed her help. She turned her back on me and for that, she will be sorry. Now, I will be taking away half her team, which, if you ask me, is more than generous. It could have easily been all of you, but instead, two of you will live to see another day. As far as I'm concerned, my generosity knows no bounds."

No one on the team said another word. They had each seen evil, despicable acts in their lifetimes, more than enough for a hundred lifetimes, but this man and the depths of evil inside of him made each of their blood run cold.

"Burke, escort them back to their tent," Bart ordered as he stood up and prepared to leave the table. "I look forward to hearing your decision, Agent Callen," he said. "I hope it's a wise one."

xxxxx

The team entered the tent, each lost in his or her thoughts, regarding what they had just heard. Callen immediately isolated himself in the far corner of the tent and wrapped himself in two blankets, no longer able to keep up his pretense that everything was fine. He was pale and shivering as he sat and set his eyes on Sam, contemplating what he now believed was a chance to ensure that his partner got out of this alive.

"So…now what?" Deeks asked, looking towards Sam.

"Now…nothing changes," Sam said, keeping his voice low. "In one hour, we make our stand. This is it. We're not playing Bart's little game anymore. It's over."

Kensi looked over at Callen and the two locked eyes. She was pretty sure they were both on the same wavelength. "Sam…" she began. "You need to think of your children."

"I am thinking of them," Sam said. "Every minute I'm thinking of them. I'm trying to do the best I can to get home to them and to get you home to your families as well."

"That's not what she means," Deeks said softly, instinctively knowing Kensi's feelings and pretty sure that Callen would feel the same.

"Well, it's what's going to happen," Sam stated.

"It's not your decision." Callen spoke for the first time since they had entered the tent and he looked at his partner, his eyes filled with emotion. "It's mine."

Sam shook his head. "No. I'm not doing it, G. I can't. I won't."

"If it's true what you just said, Sam," Callen began. "Then this is the only surefire way you can get home to Aiden and Kam alive."

Sam looked at G and then the two younger team members, his face a myriad of emotions. "You trust him?" he asked, incredulously. "After all that he has done? You're telling me you trust that no good piece of shit? Well I don't and I won't. I never will." He turned back to Callen. "G…you've never made decisions like a dictator. Please tell me you're not going to start now. Tell me that if you and I live and Kensi and Deeks die, tell me that you're not going to live the rest of your life regretting your decision today. Look me in the eyes and tell me that. But if you can't…and I don't think you can…we go back to our plan. We do what we can to take that son of a bitch down once and for all…"


	24. Chapter 24

_Thanks so much for the overwhelming support for the last chapter. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I tried to update fast (the bitter cold New England weather this weekend definitely helped), but this chapter ends much worse than the other one did (in my opinion). Also, this was a super hard one for me to write and I'm very unsure of the results, but I did the best I could with it. And sorry for the cliffhanger once again._

xxxxx

Callen sighed as he considered what Sam said. His eyes went to Kensi and Deeks and he couldn't help but think about the possibility of one of them surviving and the other being left alone. He knew that whoever was left would be utterly devastated. Even worse would be if he himself ended up drinking from the harmless vial. He was pretty sure he would never be able to move past the deaths of both junior team members if they died because of a decision that he had made.

"You can't do it, can you?" Sam asked softly, looking at his partner with an unwavering gaze. He then turned toward each of his teammates in turn. "Look…I understand and appreciate what you're trying to do for me…and for my children, but the three of you are important to me. I would never be okay with two of you losing your lives, not to him, not like this…"

There was a long silence which was finally broken by Callen. "Fine. We'll do it your way," Callen said resignedly. He prayed that it would work. He couldn't even imagine having to face Aiden and Kam if something were to happen to their father. He could picture the hatred and accusation in their eyes, and knew it would be well deserved. If this didn't work, he would never be able to forgive himself.

"Thank you, G," Sam said. "I truly think it's the best chance that we have."

Callen turned his gaze to Kensi and Deeks. "Are the two of you okay with this?" he asked.

Kensi nodded silently and Deeks seemed to consider the question for a few moments before saying, "Whatever you think…we've got your back, Callen."

Callen smiled, his eyes full of emotion. "Thanks," he said gruffly. At that moment, he knew without a doubt that this decision was the right one. How could he even have considered acquiescing to Bart's insane demands in his game of death? He loved his team members. They were family and each of them had a right to fight for their life. He would never be able to take that away from any one of them.

xxxxx

"Okay, we need to come up with some kind of a game plan," Sam said once the decision to fight had been made. He turned toward Kensi. "I think it obviously makes sense for you to take control of the weapon, Kens," he said. "Also, it goes without saying that you just need to take as many down as quickly as you can."

Kensi nodded, her eyes deadly serious. "Of course." She would do everything in her power to do what Sam wanted. She knew it was the only way for them to have a hope of surviving this situation.

Sam's gaze then traveled to Callen who appeared to be losing his battle to stay awake. He was sitting up, but his eyes kept closing and it was obvious that he was no longer paying attention. Deciding to leave him alone for the time being, he directed his attention to Deeks. "Do you think you can handle a gun?" He eyed Deeks' shoulder dubiously, knowing the amount of pain the younger man had to be in, but was managing to somehow keep in the background.

Deeks nodded quickly. "I can handle a gun, Sam. Once I get one in my hands, I'll be good to go." He looked over at Callen who had finally succumbed to sleep, his head bowed with his chin resting on his chest. "What are you going to do about him?"

Sam's eyes went to Callen and he sighed softly. "For now, I'm going to make sure he doesn't hurt his neck." He got up and went over to his partner then gently laid him down, adding another blanket to keep him warm. Callen murmured something soft and unintelligible, but he didn't awaken. Once Sam deemed him comfortable, he returned to Kensi and Deeks. "I'll try to wake him a few minutes before the hour is up. Maybe a little more sleep will rejuvenate him." He really didn't think that would be the case, but maybe they would have some luck and a jolt of adrenaline would get his partner through the battle which was to come.

xxxxx

The minutes slowly ticked by as Sam, Kensi and Deeks waited in tense anticipation. Now that the decision was made and they knew they would be bringing this whole thing to a head shortly, they just wanted it to happen. The waiting was excruciating.

"I guess I should wake him," Sam said reluctantly, looking over at G. He wished there was a place he could just hide his partner away where he would be safe until this was over, but if such a place existed, they would all be there right now and none of this would even be happening. He went over to Callen and gently shook his shoulder. "G?"

This time, unlike before, Callen awoke more easily which helped give Sam a bit more peace of mind. "Is it time?" Callen asked, blinking as he tried to fully clear his drowsiness.

"A few more minutes," Sam replied. "You hanging in there?"

Callen nodded as he slowly sat up. "I'm good," he said. "So, what's the plan?"

"Kensi will handle the gun. The rest of us will try to gather weapons from Bart's fallen men and then take down more of them." Sam outlined the plan simply and didn't emphasize any sort of physical contact, knowing that Callen wouldn't stand a chance up against anyone in his condition. "And G…there's no shame in taking cover if you have to."

Callen nodded, not particularly looking like he agreed, but keeping his thoughts to himself on that matter.

Kensi and Deeks watched the two senior partners, both looking relieved that Callen was at least lucid for the time being. Kensi then decided to redo her ponytail, which was a mess, wanting to keep her hair out of the way. She didn't need any distractions. "Are you okay with this?" Deeks asked softly as he watched her. He found everything she did to be fascinating, even something as simple as fixing her hair.

"Of course," Kensi said, looking back at him. "Are you?"

"All-in-all I'd rather be safe at home, cuddled on the couch, watching t.v.," Deeks said, "but this is the next best thing, right?" His attempt at light-hearted humor fell flat and Kensi leaned in and hugged him.

"I love you, Deeks," she said. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," he said, a catch in his voice. He returned her embrace as well as he could without hurting her. He hoped and prayed this wouldn't be the last opportunity they would ever have to hold each other. "This…this may not go the way we want it to…"

"I know…but we can't think like that," Kensi rested her hand on his cheek and gazed into his eyes. "We have to believe we're going to get through this, Deeks."

"And if we don't?" He knew he was thinking overly pessimistically but the thought of losing her was killing him inside.

Kensi sighed softly, not answering him. Instead, they embraced each other one more time and just held each other. After a few moments, Sam cleared his throat. "I'm sorry," he said gruffly, I hate to interrupt, but we need to get a look at the camp, see what our exact game plan will be."

Kensi nodded as she gently pulled herself out of Deeks' arms. She and Sam then walked over to the tent opening and peered outside. There were more men posted on the east side of the camp than the west. "You guys go towards the west," she whispered to the men. "I'll start shooting on the east side to cover you."

Sam cast a doubtful look at his partner. "G, you wait here until Kensi has brought some of them down, then try to go and grab a weapon."

"I can fight, Sam," Callen said. "Anyway, we need to protect Kensi. The tent provides cover but no real protection. We can't have them shooting back at her."

Sam shook his head. "I just don't think…"

"Let him, Sam," Deeks interrupted, offering his support to Callen. "He has the right to try." He also knew that Callen's point about Kensi was a valid one. There was nothing inside the tent for her to hide behind except some bundled up sleeping bags which was far from ideal.

Sam nodded his assent although it was still evident from his expression that he did not agree.

"It's decision time, Agent Callen!" Bart's sing-song voice sounded exuberant as he called to them from outside. "Come along, my little contestants. Come and tell Uncle Bart who wins the grand prize!"

"Take him down first if you can," Callen stated to Kensi who nodded.

"You good, G?" Sam asked his partner.

Callen nodded. "I'm good, you?"

Sam nodded and drew Callen in for a hug. He released him after a few moments and then turned to Kensi and Deeks. "Come on…we've got this…"

xxxxx

Callen, Sam and Deeks left the tent and slowly made their way towards the table via the western side of the camp. As they neared the first group of men, Kensi began shooting over at the eastern side of the camp. Sam immediately jumped one assailant and put him into a choke hold. When he was unconscious, he took his gun and began shooting. Deeks was able to grab a gun from the clenched hand of one of Sam's victims and set his aim at anyone who tried to shoot in the direction of their tent.

xxxxx

Once Kensi started shooting, the first thing she realized was that the weapon she had been given was perfect for her. She had been a little worried beforehand that somehow it wouldn't be or that god forbid it was a setup or a trick by Bart and that the gun wouldn't even fire, but it was no trick. She was able to take down a number of Bart's men in only mere seconds. She didn't see Bart or Burke though so Callen's wish of her taking down Bart was, for the time being, unfulfilled.

xxxxx

Unfortunately for Callen, he was brought down by a larger stronger man, almost immediately, and the wind was knocked out of him. As he lay dazed on the ground he couldn't help but think that Sam had been right, he just didn't have the strength to be of any help. Suddenly, he felt himself being grabbed and pulled roughly off the ground. Seeing Sam and Deeks off in the distance, shooting, he knew he wasn't being grabbed by one of his teammates and he struggled to escape the hold of the unknown assailant who was dragging him towards the outskirts of the camp. "Agent Callen, stop! I'm trying to help you." He hesitated, then realized it was Gary, the guy who had given Sam the weapon. Gary set him up behind a tree and handed him a gun. "Stay here. You're in no shape to be out there. You can shoot from here just as easily." With that, he was gone. Suddenly, they had another gun on their side.

xxxxx

Burke stood outside behind the tent where Kensi was holed up. He was going to teach that bitch a lesson once and for all. An ugly sneer on his face, he took the knife he was holding and began to slice down through the material of the tent. When the long slice was completed, he silently managed to maneuver his large body inside.

Focused on her shooting, Kensi never heard a thing until Burke grabbed her from behind. "You won't be needing this anymore," he snarled as he grappled the weapon away from her and tossed it aside. He then grabbed her. Kensi immediately went on the offense and kicked Burke viciously in his right calf. He momentarily lost his grip and Kensi kicked him again, this time aiming for his left leg. "You bitch," he shouted and grabbed her tighter this time. Kensi sagged against him and then straightened up, ramming the top of her head into the bottom of his chin.

"Aargh!" he shouted as he lunged at her once again.

xxxxx

The combatants in the camp battle had been drastically reduced in number. Some of Bart's men were lying wounded on the ground. A greater number were dead. Deeks couldn't help but notice that no shots had been coming from the tent nor had Kensi emerged. The feeling in his gut told him something was very wrong. "Kensi?!" He ran over to the tent and entered it only to see Kensi who was pinned face down on the ground, Burke was sitting on top of her, grinning lecherously forcing her arms behind her.

"Get off her!" Deeks leapt on top of Burke, pulling him to the ground, ignoring the pain shooting through his arm and shoulder.

Burke grinned at this new obstacle and immediately focused on Deeks' wounded shoulder, aiming a violent punch at it, putting all of his body weight into the blow. The sudden burst of red hot, intense pain entering his shoulder caused Deeks to feel sick to his stomach. Pale, he sunk to the ground, unprepared for the savage hit by Burke.

"Deeks!" Kensi tried to go to him, but Burke grabbed her weapon from the ground and swung it at Kensi's head. She managed to duck away, but not entirely and he managed to still hit her, although with not as much force as he'd intended. Kensi fell to the ground, stunned and Burke went at Deeks again, using the rifle as a weapon and lining up Deeks' shoulder, striking it brutally and repeatedly.

At that moment, Sam entered the tent, his eyes wild as he grabbed Burke and flung him as hard as he could out of the tent. "You want to pick on someone? Try me on for size. Let's go!"

Licking his lips, Burke measured up his new opponent and grinned oafishly as he lunged at Sam. Sam was ready for him though and Burke didn't fare as well against a more evenly matched opponent. Sam was able to get in several unrelenting blows, releasing all the frustrations he had been holding in, ever since Bart had put his plans against them into action. Having Burke in his clutches was almost, although not quite as good as having Bart.

xxxxx

Callen watched the battle between Sam and Burke, ready to shoot if Sam appeared to be in any real danger, but so far his partner was more than holding his own against his foe. Most of Bart's men were dead and Gary had a gun aimed at a group of five men, three who were wounded and two who had surrendered. He had no idea where Bart had gone off to and the thought worried him, but at that moment he needed to focus on Sam. Thus, he had no warning at all when Bart silently approached him from behind and jammed a gun butt into his back. "Drop your weapon, Agent Callen or you're dead."

Callen froze and Bart spoke again. "Drop it now and if you make a sound, I'm going to shoot your partner in the head. I may not be a physical fighter, but I'm an expert shot."

Callen let his gun drop to the ground.

"Good, very good. Now start walking. Head over to the table. Move!" Bart said, keeping the gun harshly buried against Callen's back. Callen was pretty sure the weapon was placed directly on one of the lashes he had sustained as it hurt quite a bit.

Callen shot an anguished look in Sam's direction, but the fight was still going on fast and furiously and Sam was solely focused on Burke.

"Your partner won't be helping you, Agent Callen."

Bart led Callen back to the table. "Sit down," he ordered. The three vials were still sitting there, looking more menacing than ever. "Pick one and drink it."

"What?" Callen shook his head. "No…I'm not going to do that."

"You've got a thirty three percent chance that you'll live," Bart said with a sneer. "Do it or you've got a zero percent chance. You'll get a bullet in the head right now."

As Callen stared at the vials, he couldn't help but think about the Spiral virus and the time he had been forced to drink cyanide. Somehow, he didn't think he was going to be as lucky this time. There would be no miracle cure if he chose wrong. No one even knew where they were. Hetty hadn't given him an antidote to inject himself with.

"Do it now! And don't look to me for any help from my expression. I don't know which one is safe either. When I had these concoctions made up, I made sure to tell my chemist to surprise me. I wanted the anticipation of the game as well."

Callen cast one more desperate look at his partner, mentally trying to get his attention, but it was in vain. He stared at the vials and finally chose the emerald liquid. He picked it up and drank it down in one gulp. He almost gagged at the taste of the bitter liquid as he swallowed it and he knew that he had made a very wrong choice.


	25. Chapter 25

_Sorry about the cliffhanger for the previous chapter, but I really appreciate all of you reading and commenting. Thanks so much :)_

xxxxx

"From your expression, I'm guessing you didn't choose the one with the plain water. Pity. It would have helped you with your thirst." Bart smiled and his smile continued to widen as Callen stared back at him, unable to hide the clear apprehension in his eyes. Callen quickly grabbed the remaining two vials and opened them then dumped the contents onto the ground. Bart watched, seemingly still amused. "It doesn't matter. You already made me quite happy with your choice and hopefully you won't be long for this world."

"Hopefully?" Callen asked. Maybe this poison wasn't the sure thing Bart had led them to believe it was.

"Well, nothing in life or death is a certainty, but I'd say the odds are most definitely not in your favor." He waved his gun at Callen. "Move it."

"Where are we going?" Callen asked, making no move to do as he asked.

"I'm taking you somewhere where you can die in peace."

Callen continued to sit as he stared back at Bart. "No thanks. I think I'll stay here."

"I said move it!" Bart ordered again.

At that point, Callen decided that Bart likely didn't know how quickly the poison would work so he decided he would play possum. He slowly got to his feet and deliberately quickened his breathing and then promptly collapsed onto the ground. Bart stared at him for a few moments and then smiled evilly before he walked off in the direction of where Burke and Sam were fighting. He raised his gun and aimed it at Sam. This was turning out to be an extraordinary day.

xxxxx

"Kensi? Baby? Can you hear me?" Deeks asked softly. He leaned over her, concern written all over his face.

"I'm okay, Deeks," Kensi murmured faintly, as she looked up at him, still obviously dazed from the blow to the head she had sustained. "What about you?" Her eyes went to his shoulder which he was favoring. She knew he had to be in tremendous pain.

"I'm fine, Kens…It takes more than that big buffoon to take me down," he said, forcing a grin. Inwardly, he knew that if Sam hadn't gotten involved, he would have been in big trouble.

He glanced out through the tent opening and saw that Sam and Bart were still going at it. He didn't know where they were getting the energy. Suddenly though, in the background, he recognized the glint of the sun hitting a gun barrel and then he saw Bart. He grabbed the weapon from the ground and flew to the outside of the tent, aiming and shooting in an instant.

xxxxx

Bart was shocked at the loud crack of the gunshot but the sudden pain in his side stopped him before he could get his own shot off. He stared in shock at Deeks who had just emerged from the tent with a gun and then fell to the ground.

xxxxx

Sam and Burke stopped short when the gunshot rang out. They both looked at Deeks and then turned in the direction he had shot to see Bart lying on the ground. Sam immediately trotted over towards Bart and Deeks shepherded Burke over to where Gary was guarding the other prisoners. "Do you have some handcuffs?" Deeks asked Gary. "I don't trust this guy as far as I can throw him." Gary tossed a pair over to Deeks who placed them on Burke's wrists.

"You're gonna be sorry for this you little son of a bitch," Burke snarled.

"Somehow, I'm not too worried," Deeks said. "You got this?" he asked Gary.

Gary nodded and Deeks headed back to Kensi.

xxxxx

When Sam reached Bart, he quickly retrieved the weapon on the ground beside the fallen man. He was about to go in search of something to put pressure on the wound when he noticed his partner sitting on the ground, staring at Sam with an odd expression on his face. As Callen's well-being was much more important than Bart's, Sam went over to him. "G? What is it? What's wrong?"

Callen didn't say anything at first. He just continued to stare at Sam. "What the hell, G. Talk to me," Sam pleaded.

"I…I drank one," Callen whispered. Sam's eyes instantly filled with fear as he noticed the empty vials on the table and he grasped the full meaning of what Callen was saying.

Sam shook his head slowly. "G, are you sure…I mean, are you sure that it was a poisonous one?"

Callen sighed heavily. "Yeah, Sam…I'm pretty sure. Bart said one of them was just water. This definitely was not water."

"Maybe he was lying?"

Callen shook his head. "I…I think he looked too happy for it to have been a lie."

"I'll be right back. Sit tight." Sam cast a quick look at Bart who appeared to be pretty out of it and went back to the tent. "Are you two okay?" he asked Kensi and Deeks.

"We're okay, Sam," Kensi said.

"What's going on?" Deeks asked, sensing that Sam seemed off somehow.

"It's G. He…he drank one of the vials and we're pretty sure it wasn't the harmless one."

"Oh my God, Sam," Kensi said, looking horrified by this latest development. "How is he? What are you going to do?"

"I have an idea. I don't know if it will work, but I have to do something. I was hoping one of you could bandage Bart while I take care of G?"

"We should just let the son of a bitch bleed to death," Deeks said emotionally, "but, of course we won't."

"I don't even know where there's any first aid stuff," Sam said, "but there must be something around here. For now, I need to ask Gary if there's any salt."

"Salt?" Kensi asked.

"Yeah," Sam said solemnly as he nodded. "I have no idea if it will help, but, it may give G a fighting chance." He then quickly left the tent and purposefully strode over to where Gary was keeping guard. "Hey Gary?" he asked. He was very grateful that this guy had switched sides. He was pretty sure they wouldn't have gotten through what had happened without him. He planned to do everything in his power to help him when they got out of this mess. "Do you know if there's any salt around camp?"

"Well, that's the cook's tent," Bart said pointing. "I would imagine he has salt."

"Thanks, how about first aid stuff?"

"That's in Bart's tent," Gary replied. "The one right next to the cook's."

By this time, Kensi and Deeks had joined Sam and heard the last part of what Gary said. "We'll get the first aid stuff," Kensi said. Sam nodded and walked over to where the cook's tent was. When he entered it, he saw the man who he assumed was the cook, cowering in the corner.

"Do you have any salt?" Sam yelled, not in the mood for any of this guy's foolishness.

"It…it's over there," the cook replied shakily as he pointed at a bunch of assorted spices and other ingredients on top of a small folding table. Sam went over to the table and quickly spotted the container of salt which he grabbed, along with some bottles of water. He then headed back to his partner. Callen was still sitting where he had left him. He didn't look like he had moved a muscle.

"Hey buddy, you feeling okay?" Sam asked, kneeling down beside him. He then opened one of the bottles of water and proceeded to pour some salt into it.

Callen nodded and looked at his partner warily. "Can I have some water?" he asked, not acknowledging what Sam was doing with the salt.

"Soon," Sam said as he replaced the cap on the bottle and shook it. He then handed it to his partner. "I need you to drink this, just hold your nose and drink it. Quickly, G. Please."

Trusting that his friend knew what he was doing, Callen twisted the cap off and took a deep breath, then started to gulp down the salt water concoction as quickly as he could. When he was finished, Callen lowered the empty water bottle and almost immediately became violently ill. He threw up the water he had just consumed, plus, hopefully, whatever it was that Bart had given him. Sam was pleasantly surprised at how rapidly the salt water mixture had taken effect. He supposed his partner's general poor condition and dehydration had helped to move things along. He just hoped the poison wasn't already in his system.

xxxxx

Bart was laughing as Kensi put a pressure dressing over his wound. "What the hell is so funny?" she asked, glaring at him. It was impossible to ignore the sound of Callen getting sick and it was making her incredibly tense, knowing he had drank one of the vials which contained poison.

"This…him…this whole situation is hilarious," Bart said. "All of you…you're all just fools."

Deeks stared at him, his blue eyes incredulous. "You've got a really odd sense of humor…you're going to prison. If that's what makes you happy, then laugh away."

"Maybe I will go to prison, but I've still won," Bart said, staring at Deeks. "Do you really think you're going to sleep well when you leave here, Detective? Are you really going to be able to live with what you've done to your precious little girlfriend?"

"Shut up," Kensi snapped. She turned to Deeks and could see that Bart's remarks were getting to him. "Don't listen to him," she said softly. "He doesn't know what he's talking about."

"You're right about that, Agent Blye." Bart's words were to Kensi, but his eyes were on Deeks. "I wouldn't know what it's like to hit or hurt a woman. "I've never done anything like that."

"No, you just order other people to do your dirty work for you," Kensi retorted angrily. "Deeks would never hurt a woman on his own. He only did what you forced him to do."

"I did no such thing, my dear. I'm sure he could have found a way out of it had he really tried. I think he enjoyed whipping you that way."

"Shut the hell up or I'll make you shut up," Deeks growled, having had more than enough of Bart's taunting.

Bart did as Deeks asked, but the smile remained on his lips as he could clearly see that he had gotten underneath Deeks' skin.

Xxxxx

Sam gently rubbed Callen's shoulder, being careful to stay away from any of the lashes that he had put on his back. He then took a bottle of water and handed it to him. "Drink this, G," he ordered gently. "It's just regular water. Just take small sips."

"Thanks, Sam." Callen took the water and slowly began to sip it, closing his eyes as the cool liquid slid down his sore, raw throat. As good as it was though, he soon began to feel nauseous again and he placed the bottle of water down on the ground.

"Come on, buddy, you have to drink it," Sam coaxed. "You were already dehydrated before you drank the salt water. You need to start replenishing fluids." He knew that what he'd had his partner do could be dangerous, but he had needed for him to vomit up the poison if it was at all possible. "Please, G…"

Callen sighed as he picked up the water and slowly began sipping it again. He got about three-quarters of the way through the bottle when his face paled and he knew he was going to get sick again. All Sam could do was watch helplessly and try to verbally comfort him as best as he could.

"Come on, let's go to the tent and you can get some sleep," Sam said to his clearly exhausted partner when the vomiting episode was over with. Callen nodded and tried to get to his feet. His legs were weak though and Sam put his arm around him and assisted him in getting up from the ground, then supported him on the way to the tent. Once there, Callen curled onto his side then fell asleep almost immediately. Sam covered him with blankets and made him as comfortable as he could. He then went out to where Kensi and Deeks were watching over Bart. "Let's get him over with the rest of the prisoners."

"How's Callen?" Deeks asked as Sam roughly grabbed Bart and pulled him to his feet.

"I don't know," Sam said, shaking his head. "We need to get him to a hospital. You too." He eyed his teammate's shoulder with concern.

"I'm okay," Deeks said, as Bart started laughing.

"Hopefully, you'll never be able to shoot again," Bart chortled gleefully, his eyes also on Deeks' shoulder.

"Keep your mouth shut," Sam growled unceremoniously shoving Bart over to where the others were. "How are you doing, Gary?"

"Yes, how are you doing, my traitorous friend?" All humor left Bart's eyes as he glared at Gary.

"I'm fine, Sam," Gary replied, deliberately avoiding Bart's gaze. "How's your partner?"

"He's hanging in there," Sam said. "Do you need me to spell you here?"

Gary shook his head. "No, I'm okay. You should stay with your friend."

"Obviously he doesn't mean that much to you," Bart said. "If he did, you wouldn't have left him alone. He could be dying as we speak. Hopefully he is anyway."

Sam ignored him although Bart's words struck a nerve. "Do you have more handcuffs?" he asked Gary. Gary nodded and handed a pair to Sam who cuffed Bart and then moved him to the opposite side from where Burke was sitting. "Keep them apart. If they try to get together, shoot one of them. I don't care which." He then headed back to the tent to stay with his partner.

"Do you think we should leave them alone?" Kensi asked, her eyes on Sam. Deeks shook his head. "Let's at least make sure Sam doesn't need anything first."

They followed Sam to the tent and he looked up when they walked inside. "Sam? Is everything okay? Can we do anything?" Kensi asked. She looked over at Callen who appeared to be sleeping peacefully, at least. Deeks eased himself onto the ground and allowed his eyes to close. It was evident that he was nearing the limits to how much his body could take.

Sam shook his head as he watched Deeks. Now that he had access to medical supplies, he decided he ought to take a look at his shoulder. "Hey Deeks? How about you and I take a walk over to Bart's tent? You can show me his medical supplies and I can at least change the bandage on your shoulder."

Inwardly, Deeks couldn't help but balk at Sam's idea, knowing that would hurt like hell. He was about to deny Sam's request when he heard the sound of a helicopter propeller approaching. "Now what?" he asked, sharing a worried look with Sam and Kensi.

"You don't think Bart managed to call for reinforcements, do you?" Kensi asked.

"I wouldn't put it past him," Sam stated as he got to his feet. "Come on, let's gather up some weapons and be ready to take a stand." He wondered if this nightmare was ever going to end.


	26. Chapter 26

_Thanks to those of you still reading and reviewing. It is very much appreciated._

xxxxx

Callen awoke shivering. Still half asleep, he huddled further under the blankets in an attempt to get warm. It didn't really work though and he opened his eyes only to find that he was alone in the tent. Pretty sure that he wouldn't have been left alone without good reason, he attempted to sit up, but found that he was much too weak to do so. "Damn," he murmured as he tried again but once more failed in the attempt. He wanted to go find his team and see what was going on with them, but that was impossible. He hated being like this, helpless and for the most part useless. "You can do this," he whispered to himself as he used all of his strength to make one last attempt. He was unsuccessful though and after raising his torso only a few inches from the ground, he slumped back down as inadvertent tears of frustration brimmed in his eyes.

xxxxx

The helicopter landed in a clearing, a short distance away from the camp. Sam, Deeks and Kensi approached the landing spot and took cover behind some trees as they waited to see who would emerge from the helicopter door. Their eyes widened in surprise when an unfamiliar mousy-appearing man came out first, followed by Eric. Neither of the men appeared to be armed. After a few moments, with no one else seemingly exiting from the chopper, Sam came out from behind the trees, followed by Kensi and Deeks. "Hey Eric," he said with a wide smile. "I can't begin to tell you how good it is to see you."

"Hey Sam." Eric smiled, but it was an obviously nervous smile and he cast an anxious look at the man who stood beside him.

"Where's Bart?" the other man barked, his eyes darting around searchingly.

"I guess you could say he's indisposed at the moment," Sam said, still smiling, but on high alert as he kept his rifle trained on the man. "Who the hell are you?"

"I…" The man stared at the gun for a long moment then looked down at the ground silently.

"His name is Shaughnessy," Eric replied. "Michael Shaughnessy."

"Shut up," Shaughnessy hissed, turning toward Eric. "Why did you tell him that? I thought you were on my side?"

Eric ignored Shaughnessy and turned his eyes back toward the team members. "I'm really glad to see you guys. Are you okay? Where's Callen?" he asked looking around.

"He's not doing so well." Sam couldn't help but notice the smirk that came across Shaughnessy's face at his words and he was overcome by a sudden burst of anger. "You think that's funny?" he asked, as he grabbed Shaughnessy's shirt collar, taking pleasure in the terrified look that came across the man's face. "Do you?" he asked again. "Do you think it's funny?"

"No, no! Leave me alone," Shaughnessy said as he tried to escape Sam's grasp, his voice coming across in a high-pitched squeal.

Disgusted, Sam shoved the man away harshly and Shaughnessy almost fell to the ground. "Eric, please tell me that Hetty knows where we are."

Eric nodded. "She should. She's tracking me."

"Well that's good news. Who's piloting the chopper?" Deeks asked, noting that only Eric and this Shaughnessy guy had come out of the helicopter.

Eric shrugged. "The pilot is still inside the cockpit. I think he was just planning to drop us off."

"What do you think, Sam?" Deeks asked. "Should we hitch a ride back with him?

Depends on how far out reinforcements are," Sam replied. "Let's go see if the pilot has a sat phone. If not, we'll use his radio to get some help sent out to us. Keep an eye on this guy," Sam said to Kensi and Deeks as he headed towards the helicopter.

"He's the one who tried to blow up Callen," Eric quietly informed them after Sam had walked off.

Kensi and Deeks exchanged a glance before Deeks addressed Shaughnessy. "So you're the one who almost got my fiancé killed?"

"That was her own doing," Shaughnessy said, giving Kensi an admiring look. "Bart showed me a video of you performing the rescue, baby, slithering in and out of those wires like a sexy snake. Hot stuff." He looked her up and down lewdly.

"Are you kidding me?" Deeks looked at Shaughnessy incredulously. "You'd better keep your eyes to yourself you little freak if you know what's good for you."

"Deeks," Kensi cautioned softly. "It's okay."

"No…" Deeks shook his head. "No, it's not okay." Now that Bart and his band of goons were restrained and under control, he found that he was quickly reaching his limits, both physically and mentally. "Sit on the ground," he ordered Shaughnessy who quickly obeyed him. Deeks then leaned back against a tree for support and continued to keep his attention on this weasel of a man as he wondered how Bart had managed to find so many bad apples to carry out his plans.

xxxxx

"Got the sat phone," Sam said, grinning, as he came back to where Deeks and Kensi were with Eric and Shaughnessy. "The pilot is okay. He's just someone Bart hired to make flights, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't knowledgeable about his plans. I'm going to let G call Hetty. Do you mind bringing Shaughnessy over with the others?"

Kensi and Deeks nodded. "Get up," Kensi ordered Shaughnessy who rapidly did as she said. Any bravado had quickly vanished from him. He was now as meek as a baby lamb.

Sam hastily made his way back to the tent and entered it. "Hey G? We've got everything and everybody under control, buddy. It's over now. It's really over." He squatted down beside Callen and immediately became concerned upon noticing the tears on his partner's cheeks. "G? What is it? What's wrong?"

Callen met Sam's gaze, too freaked out to even attempt any pretense that everything was fine. "I…I can't stand up, Sam," he replied. "I can't even sit up. I feel really weak."

Alarm bells went off internally, but Sam kept his expression carefully schooled and he spoke calmly to Callen. "Hey, it's okay, buddy. You shouldn't be walking around anyhow. Try not to worry about this. You've been through a lot. Something like this isn't unexpected."

Callen looked back at Sam dubiously. "I didn't expect it."

"Well, here…" Sam dialed Hetty's number and handed the phone to his friend. "Why don't you talk to Hetty. I'm sure that will make you both feel better."

xxxxx

Hetty looked at the unfamiliar number on her caller ID and pressed the receiver button on her cell phone then held it up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hey Hetty, it's me, Callen."

Hetty momentarily closed her eyes as she said a silent thank you to whoever it was who ran the universe. She then took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly as she made a concerted effort to keep her voice steady before speaking. "Why of course it's you, Mr. Callen. Do you think I've already managed to forget your voice? You haven't been gone for that long."

Callen chuckled on the other end of the line. "I know you haven't forgotten me, Hetty."

"How are you?" Hetty asked. "How is your team?"

"Uh…We're a little banged up, but, we'll be okay."

Hetty could tell he was holding back, but she wasn't going to question him now. She was just so glad to hear his voice and to know that they were all alive. There would be time for questions once they were home. "So, I trust you have seen Mr. Beale?"

Inside the tent, Callen looked confused. "Eric? I…" he looked at Sam in confusion. His partner smiled reassuringly and took the phone from Callen's hand.

"Eric's here, Hetty," Sam replied.

"Mr. Hanna. It's good to speak with you. Now tell me, what is it that you need. How can I be of help?"

"I'd like to get us out of here as quickly as possible. We have prisoners who need to be taken in as well. Is a team on the way?"

"Yes, a team is on its way, Mr. Hanna, but tell me is there a sense of medical urgency here?"

Sam glanced over at his partner and nodded instinctively although he knew Hetty couldn't see him. "Yes, I'd say so. We have a helicopter here. I'm guessing that would be the quickest way for transport so they can leave now. I'll send Deeks, Kensi and G on the chopper and I'll stay here with Eric to keep watch until your team arrives."

"Tell your pilot to make contact with USC University Hospital. They have a helipad there. I will speak to them on my end. That will be the best way to get your fellow team members expeditious medical help."

"Will do, Hetty," Sam said. "I'll see you soon."

"I'll see you soon, Mr. Hanna," Hetty replied. "Take care of each other and Godspeed."

Sam clicked off the sat phone and turned back to his partner who was watching him closely. "Okay, G. I guess you heard that. I'm going to go speak with the pilot and see about getting you guys to the hospital, the sooner, the better."

"You're not coming?" Callen asked, gazing back at his partner with an unreadable look in his eyes.

Sam hesitated for an instant, not particularly liking whatever was going on with G, either physically or emotionally. "No, but Hetty has a team on its way so I'll get there just as quickly as I can." He put his hand on Callen's shoulder and patted it encouragingly. "Everything will be okay."

Callen nodded, but Sam could tell that Callen didn't believe his words and if Sam was to be totally honest with himself, at that moment, he didn't believe them either.

xxxxx

"Did you guys talk to Hetty?" Kensi asked Sam as he came over to where she, Deeks and Eric were sitting by Bart and his men.

Sam nodded. "We did." His eyes went to Deeks who was sitting with his back against a tree, his eyes closed.

Kensi's eyes followed Sam's and she then gazed back at him. "He's not doing well," she stated unnecessarily.

"Neither is G," Sam replied. He squatted down beside Deeks and gently rubbed his uninjured shoulder. "Hey Deeks? Can you hear me?"

Deeks moaned softly but his eyes remained closed.

"Deeks," Sam tried again. "Can you hear me?"

"Yeah, I hear you, Sam-dog," Deeks replied, his eyes still closed.

"Come on man… Help me out here." Sam gently rubbed Deeks' shoulder again. "I need to get G to the helicopter."

Upon hearing those words, and always eager to help, Deeks managed to open his eyes. "What do you need me to do, Sam?"

"Nothing… I just wanted to know if you can get to the helicopter. Eric will help you." He sent an inquiring look to Eric who nodded. "I need to carry G."

"Sure, I can do that," Deeks replied, trying to open his eyes wider so that he appeared more alert than he actually was. Sam then helped Deeks get to his feet and Eric quickly moved over to help support him.

"I'm going to go get G," Sam said. "I'll meet you guys at the helicopter."

"Some of us are injured here too, Agent Hanna," Bart called out. He'd been carefully watching and listening to everything Sam said. "We deserve medical treatment as well and I know for a fact there is plenty of room on that helicopter to transport us."

Sam cursed under his breath. He hadn't even been thinking about Bart or his injured men. As much as he didn't want to send them on the flight, he realized he needed to. He didn't want to take any chances that his treatment of the prisoners would cause problems in prosecuting them down the road. He knew he would now be going along as well, not willing to transport Bart without being there to guard him. After making a quick phone call to Hetty to inform her that there would be more than just the three team members being transported, he helped move Bart and the other injured men along to the helicopter. He then made sure the men being left behind were secured so that Gary and Eric wouldn't have any problems with them.

"You sure you're going to be okay here, Eric?" Sam asked as he and the younger man made their way over to the tent where Callen was.

Eric nodded. "I'll be fine, Sam…so, how bad off is Callen anyway?"

Sam hesitated a few feet away from the tent opening then shrugged. "He's gone through a lot, Eric and then was poisoned on top of it. I thought maybe we got it out of his system, but now…I just don't know…"

Eric nodded seriously. "Callen's tough though. I have a strong feeling that he'll pull through."

"I hope you're right." Sam went into the tent with Eric following behind. "Hey G…you ready to get out of here?" Sam asked as he reached down and pulled his partner up into his arms. Callen's silent acceptance of this act did nothing to reassure Sam about his condition.

"Hey Eric…good to see you," Callen greeted solemnly.

"Good to see you too, Callen," Eric replied with a tense smile which did not reach his eyes.

"Eric? Can you grab a couple of sleeping bags and some blankets?" Sam asked. "Whatever you can carry."

"Sure Sam, no problem." Eric took two sleeping bags and an armful of blankets and followed Sam to the helicopter. Once they were inside, Sam proceeded to make his partner and Deeks as comfortable and warm as he could. He then walked to the door of the helicopter with Eric.

"Thank you for staying here, Eric," Sam said. "The team should be here before too long."

Eric nodded. "I'll be fine, Sam. You guys take care of yourselves. Have a safe flight." The two men shook hands and Sam watched Eric as he made his way off the helicopter and headed over in the direction of the camp. Sam then closed the door tightly and walked over to his partner then sat down beside him. A few minutes later, they heard the sound of the helicopter propeller, the engine roared to life and they began their ascent into the air.

Finally, they were on their way home.


	27. Chapter 27

_As always, thanks for all the comments and support you've given this story. I'm not exactly overly confident about this chapter, but, hopefully it's okay…_

xxxxx

It was a rough flight back.

Deeks basically passed out shortly after takeoff. Kensi sat beside him, her eyes filled with worry. "Everything is going to be okay," she murmured as she stroked his hair, pushing it gently back from his face. "We're going to get you to a hospital now and you're finally going to get the care you need. Then, when you're better, I'll take you home and nurse you back to health. Everything will be fine. I promise you."

The motion of the helicopter set Callen's stomach off once again. However, this time, there was nothing inside of him to throw up so he was accosted by painful dry heaves. He clutched his ribs, trying to minimize the pain, but that didn't prove to be very helpful. Sam watched his partner, feeling horrible and utterly useless. Bart, on the other hand, gazed at Callen in open amusement. "I guess getting him to puke his guts up didn't really help much, did it, Agent Hanna? Too bad. I'm guessing that poison is making its way through his system. Who knows how much time he has left?"

"Shut up," Sam growled. The look he shot Bart was filled with absolute hatred.

"Oh don't be like that, Agent Hanna," Bart said, smiling. "I was shot by Detective Deeks over there and I understand why he felt the need to do what he did. I don't feel any ill will towards him."

"I told you to shut up," Sam said again. "If you don't, I'm going to make you shut up." His mind was filled with images of him tossing Bart out of the helicopter and watching him tumble through the air until he would eventually hit the ground and smash every bone in his body. After everything Bart had put them through, it was a kinder fate than that monster deserved. Bart stopped talking but continued to take obvious pleasure in watching Callen's misery. Finally, Callen's heaves stopped and he laid curled on his side, his face pale and soaked with beads of perspiration. "G? Can you drink some of this for me?" Sam asked softly as he opened a bottle of water and moved it towards Callen's lips.

Callen quickly turned his face away. "I can't." he told Sam. As much as he was still suffering from almost unbearable thirst, he knew he would just throw any water up and he needed to put a stop to that if he could.

"Come on, G," Sam pleaded. "Just a little bit buddy, please? You're so dehydrated."

"I said no. It…it's just going to make me sick, Sam. I can't keep doing this." Callen looked on the verge of tears and Sam immediately backed off.

"Okay…I'm sorry. I'm not going to force you. Try to rest if you can." Without thinking, Sam put his hand on Callen's back to rub it in a comforting motion. Callen hissed with the sudden flare up of pain and flinched away from his partner.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry, G," Sam stated, his expression the perfect definition of the word guilt as he moved his hand away from his partner.

Bart, who was watching the scene attentively, started to laugh. "Oh my God…this is hilarious. How on earth could you forget what you did to him? You've got to stop making me laugh. It makes my stomach hurt!"

"You bastard!" Sam made a move to get up and go after Bart, but Kensi put her hand on his arm, successfully getting him to stop.

"Sam don't," Kensi said. "It's not going to help anything. We need to make sure he goes to prison for everything he's done." Not that there was really any doubt since he had escaped from prison to begin with, but why take chances? She looked pointedly at Bart's men who were also paying attention to what was happening, in varying states of alertness, depending on their injuries.

Sam shook his head. This was all getting to be too much for him. He felt very close to losing his grip on his emotions, reminiscent of when he thought G had drowned in the river. He was very scared for his partner and for Deeks as well. He mentally willed the time to move faster so that they could arrive at the hospital and finally get the medical care they so desperately needed.

xxxxx

Things moved quickly once the helicopter landed at the medical center. Gurneys were brought and Callen and Deeks, as well as Bart and his men were transported to the Emergency Room. Sam and Kensi gave details of what had happened to their partners to the attending physicians, but they were not allowed to accompany them into the exam cubicles.

"Kensi?" Sam said softly. He was seated in one of the hard, plastic waiting room chairs, watching as she nervously paced back and forth.

"I can't believe they wouldn't let me in with him. I wouldn't have bothered anything. I hope he doesn't wake up and find that he's all alone."

"Kens?" Sam tried again. "You really need to get looked at…"

Kensi stopped short and stared at him. "No. No, I don't need to get looked at. I'm fine."

"I beg to differ, Ms. Blye. If Mr. Hanna says you need to be looked at. I trust that he has made a wise and prudent decision, one that you should adhere to."

"Hetty!" Kensi turned around and smiled when she saw their operations manager. She then hugged the smaller woman tightly. "It's so good to see you."

"It's very good to see you too, my dear," Hetty said, returning her smile. She then walked over to Sam and embraced him. "Mr. Hanna. Welcome home."

"It's good to be home, Hetty," Sam said, smiling warmly at her. "You can't imagine how good."

"No, but I expect to be filled in on everything that has happened." She sat down in the seat next to him and then patted the empty seat on the other side. "Come, Ms. Blye. Sit with me."

Kensi did as Hetty requested and sank down on the chair.

"Now tell me," Hetty addressed Kensi first. "Why is it you don't want to be seen by a doctor?"

"Because I don't need to be. I'm fine," Kensi stated. "Besides, I need to wait here to see what's going on with Deeks. They're going to need to do surgery on him."

"I think they're likely going to wait on the surgery, Kens," Sam said gently. "I'm sure Deeks' temperature is pretty high. I think they'll treat his infection and once that's under control they'll remove the bullet."

"Mr. Deeks was shot?" Hetty asked. "How is he? How bad is it?"

Sam shook his head. "I don't even know where to begin, Hetty," he said. "He was shot in the shoulder, but it happened days ago and I didn't have any supplies to be able to treat him properly. He developed a pretty nasty infection."

"I…I still don't even know how he was able to stay so strong for as long as he did," Kensi said quietly.

"I think he was running on pure adrenaline and will power, Kensi," Sam said. "He really wanted to do what he could do to help us get through this…especially you. That man loves you so much."

"I love him too," Kensi said, her eyes welling with tears. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to keep herself calm. "I really wish they had let me stay with him."

"I'm sure you'll get to see him soon," Sam said with a smile. "But, before then. You really need to get looked at."

"May I ask what's wrong?" Hetty asked, first looking at Sam and then at Kensi.

"I…I just got hit on my back, Hetty," Kensi said, staring down at the floor. "It's really nothing. Sam is overreacting." Her own eyes met Sam's and she silently pleaded with him not to say any more.

"It's not too bad," Sam said, but her wounds at least need to be cleaned and dressed, as well. He hadn't seen her back, but he knew that she needed to be looked at, if for no other reason than to give him peace of mind.

"I'll see someone after I get word on Deeks, okay?" Kensi relented, knowing that Sam wasn't going to back off on this.

Sam nodded and Kensi sighed softly.

"You haven't yet mentioned Mr. Callen," Hetty said, her eyes studying Sam closely as she asked the question. "What happened to him and more importantly, how is he?"

"G…" Sam shook his head and then met Hetty's eyes with his own. "He's not good, Hetty. It's too long of a story to go into right now and much of it you're going to find pretty unbelievable, but the main thing is that he's been poisoned. I tried to get it out of his system, but, I just don't know." He ran his hand over his face, obviously distressed.

"Poisoned?" Hetty asked, looking shocked by Sam's words. "And this…all of this… it was orchestrated by Bartholomew?"

Sam nodded.

"Because of me?"

Sam and Kensi exchanged a long look, but neither of them said anything to either confirm or deny Hetty's assumption.

"Oh come now, I think the two of you know I'm far from fragile. Please, tell me, why did he do this and did you take him into custody?" Honestly though, she already knew the answer to why Bartholomew had done this. He still blamed her for being imprisoned. However, she never would have suspected the lengths he would have gone to in order to get back at her.

"He's actually here in the hospital, Hetty," Kensi said. "Deeks shot him."

"Deeks saved my life," Sam said quietly. He realized that he hadn't even had a chance to thank Deeks for doing so.

"He barely knew Mr. Callen," Hetty said to herself. "I don't understand how he even found him and the three of you as well."

"He has a lot of money, Hetty," Sam said softly.

"And money can buy power," Kensi said. "Even in prison."

"It's obviously bought him a lot of both," Sam said. "He did a lot of preparation for this so called 'game' of his and he did it from behind prison walls."

"And he had a lot of help," Kensi explained. "Everything was so well planned and…just evil."

"I'm so sorry you all had to go through this," Hetty said, her eyes filled with sadness and sympathy. "If Bartholomew was so set on revenge against me…I wish he had come after me directly, not gone after the four of you."

"He's crazy, Hetty," Kensi said as she took Hetty's hand and squeezed it gently. "We never would have wanted him to go after you."

"Well, I certainly didn't want him to go after you," Hetty said with a sigh. She glanced over at the door leading to the treatment portion of the ER and shook her head. "I wish someone would come out and give us some information."

"You're not alone in that," Sam said, his eyes also on the doors. He felt like he was going to go crazy if they didn't get word soon.

xxxxx

Finally, after about another hour of waiting, a doctor emerged from behind the treatment area doors and approached them. "Sorry to have kept you waiting so long, Kensi," he said, his eyes serious as he looked down at her. "Can I speak freely or should we go somewhere more private?"

"Oh it's okay," Kensi assured him.

"Alright. Your fiancé has a serious wound infection. I've started him on an aggressive course of antibiotics and some pain medication. We took x-rays of his shoulder and the bullet doesn't pose any danger to him so it's not anything that needs to be addressed right away. Our main concern is to get his infection under control and bring his fever down. Once that's done, we'll set him up with a surgeon for removal of the bullet."

"But he'll be okay?" Kensi asked anxiously.

"I'm cautiously optimistic," the doctor replied.

Kensi nodded. "When can I see him?"

"It will be a little while. He's sleeping right now. I'm going to arrange to have him transferred to the Medical floor and you'll be able to see him then."

"Thank you very much," Kensi said, a faint smile on her lips. She was still very worried about Deeks, but hopefully everything was going to be okay with him.

"That's good news," Sam said, after the doctor had left.

Kensi nodded. "It is."

"So…"

Kensi looked at Sam in confusion. "So…?"

"You said you would see someone after you got word about Deeks' condition," Sam reminded her.

Kensi rolled her eyes. "Sam, I really don't think…"

"Ms. Blye, you did tell Mr. Hanna that you would do as he requested," Hetty said, backing her senior agent up.

"Alright…" Kensi gave in and made her way over to the registration desk. The sooner she got it over with, the sooner she would be able to go and see Deeks.

xxxxx

Kensi didn't have to wait too long before her name was called and she went over to the treatment area to be seen. At that point, Hetty looked at Sam with questioning eyes. "Would you care to give me a little bit more information about Ms. Blye's injuries?" she asked him.

Sam looked at Hetty and hesitated before he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Hetty," he said. "I really don't feel comfortable talking about it unless Kensi says it's okay. It's her story to tell, not mine."

Hetty was about to push him further, but then decided to do so would only serve to break trust between Sam and Kensi as well as Kensi and herself. Neither outcome was anything that she desired, especially after all that the team had been through. "Alright, Sam. That's fine. I appreciate that you wish to keep Ms. Blye's confidence."

"Thank you," Sam said as his eyes once again went toward the treatment area. "This is taking too long."

Hetty wanted to give Sam some reassurances, but in all honesty, she agreed with him. Her level of worry about her team's leader seemed to be rising with each minute that went by.

Finally, about 20 minutes later, a kindly-appearing older gentleman came out and walked over to Sam. "I apologize for the long wait, Mr. Hanna," he said as he looked around at the crowded waiting room. "Can you come along with me where we can talk in private?"

Sam immediately felt the butterflies begin to do battle in his stomach. Going somewhere to speak privately with the doctor wasn't the beginning he had hoped for. "Of course," Sam said as he got to his feet. "This is Hetty Lange... She's very close to G…"

"I'm Dr. Carlisle," the doctor said as he shook Hetty's hand. "If the two of you will please follow me?"

They followed Dr. Carlisle down the hall to a small office. He turned on the light and indicated the sofa and cushioned chairs. "Please, make yourselves comfortable." Sam swallowed hard, his emotions threatening to come to the forefront as he wondered if his partner and best friend had already died.

"I'm not one to beat around the bush," Hetty said after they had all sat down. "Please, tell us what's going on with Mr. Callen."

"Well, it's a complicated situation," Dr. Carlisle began. His lab tests and blood counts are highly abnormal. I'm assuming that's from whatever toxin is in his system, but we have not been able to identify it."

"But how is he?" Sam asked anxiously. "Is he going to be okay?"

"In addition to the effects of whatever poison he ingested, he has two cracked ribs and a touch of pneumonia. He's also severely dehydrated. There are also the lashes on his back, but they are surface wounds mainly just another source of pain for him."

Sam nodded in shame as he felt the heat flood to his cheeks at the mention of the lashes which he had personally delivered to his partner. None of this was particularly surprising to hear. "Will he be okay?" he asked again.

Dr. Carlisle shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't answer that question. Without knowing what poison he took, it's hard for me to say. Not to mention, he's in an extremely weakened condition right now. Of course, if you knew what the poison was, perhaps we'd be able to combat it and give him a fighting chance."

"So…you're saying he doesn't have a fighting chance?" Hetty asked, trying hard to keep herself together.

"Well, I've witnessed many medical miracles over the course of my career," Dr. Carlisle said. "So I don't want you to lose hope, but…if there's any way you can find out what he was given, or better yet gain access to an antidote, I'd feel a good deal better about his chances."

"We'll get to work on that right away," Hetty stated resolutely as Sam nodded. They would do everything in their power to get Callen on the road to recovery.


	28. Chapter 28

_Thanks so much to all of you who continue to read and review._ _Also, thanks to wonderworldofmine for making me think about the vials. That was one detail I had overlooked so I appreciate you mentioning it._

xxxxx

"The vials…" Sam suddenly remembered and he wished he had thought about them before they had taken off in the helicopter. Now, that much more time had been wasted because he hadn't considered that important detail.

"Mr. Hanna?" Hetty asked as she and the doctor both looked at him curiously.

"Bart forced G to drink the poison from a vial. There were three of them. Supposedly, two of them were poisonous and one of them was not. Maybe there's a trace of something inside them that would help to find an antidote."

"That's very possible," Dr. Carlisle said, nodding and looking a bit more optimistic. "Where are the vials? Can you get them to me so I can bring them to the lab?"

"Hetty?" Sam turned to her, his eyes anxious. "Can you send someone back to where we were to look for the vials? The last I saw they were on a table at the campsite. Eric must be back by now. Maybe he could go to the campsite and take a look?" He would have gone himself, but he wanted to be by his partner's side as soon as possible. He didn't want G to have to deal with this alone.

"Yes, I'll get on that right away. Why don't you go see what's going on with our friend, Mr. Richards? Perhaps he can be persuaded to give us some information about the poison that Mr. Callen ingested."

Sam nodded and the two left the office and parted ways. As Hetty walked back down the hallway in the direction of the ER, she began to realize that there was much she did not yet know about what her team had gone through with Bartholomew. The thought of Callen being forced to drink poison sickened her and she had a horrible feeling that whatever else she was going to learn would prove to be worse than what she could even imagine.

xxxxx

Callen laid in the bed in the small private room as he tried to make sense out of what Dr. Carlisle had told him. He was on antibiotics and pain killers, along with IV fluids. He had also been given Compazine to control his nausea. Physically, he was relatively comfortable, definitely more so than he had been in Bart's camp. It was a little hard to believe that he wasn't getting better. However, the doctor's dire words were hanging over him and he had very little hope that his outcome was going to be good.

When Sam had given him the salt water to drink, he'd allowed himself to believe that it was actually going to work and that he would recover. However, now he knew better and he was scared, more so than he had ever believed he would be in this kind of situation. For some reason, he felt even worse than when he'd been tied to the tree thinking he was about to be blown to bits. This slower, more drawn out death, which would be watched by everyone, wasn't what he had envisioned for himself. He didn't want to see his team members pitying him as they all waited for death to claim him.

He also knew that hiding his feelings was of the utmost importance. He couldn't let Sam, Hetty or any of his friends and team members know the truth. They would have a hard enough time with this, especially his partner and Hetty. He refused to make it even worse on them.

xxxxx

"Eric, thank goodness I reached you," Hetty said when he picked up the phone in Ops. "What is your current status?"

"I just got back here a short while ago," Eric replied. "All the prisoners have been transported and I figured this was where you'd want me to be. Why? Is there something else you need?"

"Yes. It's a matter of some urgency. Whatever poison Mr. Callen was given has not been identified. We're hoping the vials are back at the campsite. Mr. Hanna believes that they are on or by the table there. There's a military plane on standby waiting for you. Can you go there and try to find the vials? Take Nell along with you. When you've found them, which hopefully you will, bring them here to the hospital as quickly as you can." She then proceeded to give him the airport information detailing where the plane was waiting.

"How are Callen and Deeks doing?" Eric asked, a note of concern in his voice.

"Mr. Deeks is holding his own. As I said, the matter with Mr. Callen is urgent," Hetty said. "Hopefully, these vials will give us the information we need to save him."

"We'll be back as fast as possible," Eric said.

"Thank you, Eric. I know I can count on you."

xxxxx

"These are some pretty nasty marks," Dr. Morelli said to Kensi as she carefully treated the wounds on her back. "You know… you really need to be careful with this kind of thing."

"What kind of thing?" Kensi repeated as she looked at the other woman in confusion. "What do you mean?" After thinking about it for a few moments, she realized what Dr. Morelli was insinuating and her cheeks began to redden. "Oh…it was nothing like that…"

"Well then…have you reported this to the police?" Dr. Morelli asked, obviously concerned.

Kensi sighed. "I am the police, well with NCIS anyway. Trust me, this will all be handled. The man responsible is in custody. He's actually a patient at this hospital."

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm glad he was caught. This kind of thing is not okay if it's not consensual between partners and even then, proper precautions need to be taken. It can easily get out of hand."

"I know that," Kensi said with a slight edge to her voice. This woman was making her feel uncomfortable and ashamed about what had happened, although she knew she had no reason to feel that way. At the moment, she was just very grateful that Deeks wasn't with her. She could only imagine what Dr. Morelli's words would do to him.

Finally, the doctor finished with her and she went back out into the ER waiting room only to find that Sam and Hetty were no longer there. She waited uncertainly for a few minutes and was about to go see if she could find out any further information, when Hetty returned.

"I'm glad you're here, Ms. Blye," Hetty said. "Is everything okay with you?"

Kensi nodded. "Yes, yes, I'm fine, Hetty. Have you gotten word about Callen's condition?"

Hetty nodded as she looked up at Kensi, her eyes filled with worry. "Yes and I'm afraid the news isn't very good at the moment. They have been unable to identify the poison which Callen took and they're giving him a rather grim prognosis. We're not giving up though. We're going to do everything in our power to figure out what he was given and hopefully get some sort of antidote. For right now, I've managed to get hold of Mr. Beale and he is going back to the campsite with Nell to hunt down the vials."

Kensi nodded as she tried to process this newest bit of bad news. "Let's hope they find it quickly…" She took a deep breath as she tried to hold herself together. She wondered whether this nightmare was ever going to end for any of them. "I'm going to find out if I can see Deeks. Please keep me posted and let me know if there's anything you need me to do."

"I will dear," Hetty said with a nod. "Please give Mr. Deeks my best wishes and tell him I will be in to see him as soon as possible."

xxxxx

Sam waited impatiently in the short line at the hospital information desk. He really needed to get to his partner. However, he knew that it was most important to try to get any information he could out of Bart. Saving his best friend's life was more important to him than anything.

"Can I help you?" the auburn-haired receptionist, whose name tag read Marge, asked him.

"Yes, I'm looking for a patient, Bartholomew…" Sam momentarily blanked before he came up with Bart's last name. "Richards." Can you tell me where he is, please?"

Marge efficiently began clicking on her computer keyboard, peering at her monitor as she did so. "Mr. Richards is in surgery," she informed Sam. "I can't give you any other information."

Sam sighed then thanked her before walking away from the desk. Of course Bart was in surgery. He wondered how long it would be before he could talk to the man. With every moment counting, this was not good news. Knowing there was nothing else he could do right then, he decided to go visit his partner and see for himself how he was doing.

xxxxx

Kensi sat by Deeks' bedside, silently watching him sleep. She was extremely worried about him, not only about his physical condition, but his state of mind as well. She hoped he would be able to get past all that had happened. She knew that his having to hurt her had caused him infinitely more harm than any injury she herself had sustained. Deeks groaned softly and she took his hand. "Deeks? Honey, can you hear me?"

"Yeah, baby, I hear you." He opened his eyes and looked up at her groggily with a faint smile. "We're finally safe?"

Kensi nodded as she returned his smile. "Yes, we're safe. Everything's going to be okay."

He nodded and shifted in the bed, trying to make himself more comfortable. "Did they take the bullet out?"

"No. You've been running a fever because the wound is infected. You're on antibiotics now. Once that's under control, then they'll take it out. The doctor assured me it was fine to leave it for the time being. It doesn't pose any danger to you."

"Okay." Deeks closed his eyes for a few long moments and Kensi thought he had fallen back to sleep, but then he opened them again. "Everything okay with Callen?"

Kensi avoided Deeks' gaze as she busied herself straightening Deeks' covers and pulling them up a little higher over his chest. "Are you warm enough?" she asked him. "I can get you another blanket if you'd like or another pillow. This one seems kind of flat."

"Kens?" Deeks now knew she was deliberately avoiding his question. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Kensi sighed softly as she met his eyes. "I'm afraid he's not doing well, Deeks," she replied. "They don't know what kind of poison he took so they don't know how to fight it. Hetty is sending Eric back to retrieve the vials, but…" She shrugged as she trailed off.

Deeks stared back at her for a long moment. "Damn…"

"Callen's strong though, Deeks," Kensi said, trying to convince him as well as herself. "He's not going to give up…we can't give up on him either."

"No, you're right," Deeks said, his blue eyes full of emotion. "We won't give up on him."

xxxxx

Sam stood in the doorway to Callen's room and watched his partner who seemed to be asleep. He appeared pale, but at least he wasn't in any obvious distress. He quietly entered the room and Callen's eyes immediately opened.

"Hey G," Sam said softly as he approached his bedside and sat down in the chair next to the bed. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't. I wasn't sleeping."

"So…How are you doing?"

"I'm good." Callen studied his partner's expression as he tried to determine just how much he knew about his condition. "They're giving me all kinds of meds to keep me comfortable."

Sam nodded then forced a smile as he wondered about G's state of mind. He knew his friend was anything but good. "Can I get you anything?"

Callen shook his head. "No thanks…I don't need anything. How's Deeks? Is he okay?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, he's doing pretty well. He has a wound infection, which we already knew, and once they get that under control, they'll remove the bullet."

"That's good to hear," Callen said with a small sigh of relief. At least none of the others would end up dead as a result of the insanity that had occurred at Bart's hand.

Both men were silent for a few long moments until Callen decided to address the elephant in the room. "So…did you talk to the doctor?" He fidgeted with the blanket when he asked the question, not looking at Sam's face, but finally he forced himself to meet his gaze. He knew immediately that Sam had spoken with the doctor, just from his expression and the sadness in his eyes.

"We're doing everything we can to find an antidote, G," Sam spoke as reassuringly as he could. "We're not giving up. You can't give up either."

Callen nodded, trying to keep his expression as detached and unemotional as possible. "I'm not giving up, Sam," he said softly.

"Good…because you need to keep fighting, G. You know we've got your back. We always will."

"I know…thanks, Sam. That…that means a lot." Callen knew what his partner said was true and he also knew that his team would do everything in their power to save him. However, the truth was that sometimes these things were just out of everyone's control and no matter what efforts were undertaken… there was just nothing that could be done…


	29. Chapter 29

_Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I've been questioning my writing lately and it's been difficult to get anything out at all. In any case, hopefully, this is okay. Thanks so much for reading._

 _(Also, for those of you asking about Enduring Brotherhood, I honestly haven't been at all motivated with that one. I am going to try to get back to it though, just not sure when. Sorry about that._ _I'll do the best I can. )_

xxxxx

Nell shivered slightly as she pulled her lightweight green jacket a little bit more tightly across her chest. She and Eric were making their way through the woodland area towards the camp where the team had been held hostage. "I hope we find what we're looking for," she said softly, her thoughts on Callen and the very real possibility that he could die.

"We'll find them," Eric replied with more certainty than he actually felt. "I don't think anyone would have thought to take the vials." They entered the campsite and walked towards the table where the vials supposedly were. As they approached the table, they could see that the tabletop was empty, but they spotted the vials on the ground almost immediately. Eric put gloves on his hands and Nell handed him an evidence bag. He then knelt down on the ground and carefully placed the vials into the bag, then sealed it up.

Nell's eyes were drawn to the campsite. The circle of tents seemed innocent enough, but she knew that they were anything but. "I can't imagine what kind of awful things went on here," she said with a slight tremor in her voice.

"What I heard wasn't good," Eric said as he stood up. "One of the guys, Gary, he turned on Bart and his men and he was helping to guard the men who were in custody." He shook his head. "Pure evil went on here, Nell. Stuff you wouldn't even want to know about."

She sighed to herself as she looked around once again, her mind filled with horrible images and menacing thoughts.

"I guess we should go," Eric said as he gently placed his hand on Nell's back and began to usher her out of the campsite. "The sooner we get back, the better the chance that someone will be able to help Callen."

Nell nodded as she and Eric headed back in the direction of the plane. She really didn't want to stay there any longer than necessary. The place honestly just gave her the creeps.

xxxxx

Sam sat by Callen's bedside, watching the rise and fall of his partner's chest and listening to the slight wheeze coming from his lungs with each outward breath. At least he seemed to be sleeping peacefully and that was something. However, it was killing Sam inside to know that his friend was slowly dying and that they might not be able to save him.

"Mr. Hanna?" Hetty's voice was very soft as she stepped into the room., her eyes on Callen. "How is he doing?" she asked.

"He's asleep more than he's awake," Sam said. From his expression, it was obvious that he was troubled by that fact. He ran his hand over his face and turned toward Hetty. "Have you heard from Eric?"

Hetty nodded. "He and Miss Jones are on their way back with the vials."

"But there's no guarantee that will even help anything," Sam said. "They may not be able to develop an antidote in time, even if they can come up with what he was given."

"I know that, but we can't give up hope."

Sam looked at Callen's pale face again and realized that was exactly what he was doing. He knew he had to stop. Him having this kind of an attitude could only affect his partner negatively and that was the opposite of what he wanted. He needed to keep G fighting for as long as he could. "What about Bart?"

"He's in recovery. As soon as he is able to have visitors, we'll be notified."

Sam shook his head. "I can't imagine he'll be of any helpfulness, but maybe I can shake it out of him."

"I know how you feel, Sam," Hetty said, looking at him sympathetically, "and I feel much the same way, but we need to do this the right way. Mr. Callen would not want you going to jail in an effort to get information."

"If I can save G, it's worth the risk," Sam stated adamantly.

"Well, we'll see what happens when the time comes," Hetty said. Her phone buzzed and she pulled it out of her pocket and looked at the screen. "And evidently, that time is now. Bartholomew is able to have visitors. Let's go see what we can find out." She then quickly headed out of the room.

"I'll be back really soon, buddy," Sam whispered as he looked down at his partner, his eyes filled with emotion. "You hang on tight, okay? Please hang on for me, G." He then followed Hetty out into the hallway.

xxxxx

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean it," Deeks called out frantically as he tossed and turned in his hospital bed. "Please forgive me, please."

"Deeks? Deeks wake up," Kensi said as she reached for his uninjured shoulder and rubbed it gently.

"Kensi?" He opened his eyes, giving her a startled look, but his expression quickly changed to one of guilt as he looked away from her.

"Deeks? What is it? What's wrong?" Kensi prodded. She put her hand on his cheek and turned his face towards her tenderly.

"Nothing. I'm tired." He turned away from her again and this time she let him be. After a few minutes of silence though, she spoke again. "I know you're blaming yourself for certain things that happened…but you shouldn't be. None of them were your fault…All of us have things we're sorry for."

Deeks didn't respond to her, but Kensi knew he was listening, even though he was pretending not to.

"If you're really to blame for things that happened out there, then Callen, Sam and I are too. We all did things we didn't want to do, Deeks, things we're not proud of. It's not just you."

"Really?" He turned back to her then, his blue eyes flashing. "What? What did you do that was so bad, Kensi?"

"I chose to withhold food and water from Callen…" Kensi said quietly, after a long pause, as she stared down at the floor. She would never regret choosing Deeks over Callen, but it didn't mean she didn't feel guilty about it, especially now with Callen doing so poorly.

Deeks shook his head, looking at her sorrowfully. "You didn't do that, Kens…it was all Bart…you know that."

"So, why is it different for you then?" Kensi asked him. "Deeks? Why are you punishing yourself? You never would have done anything if he hadn't forced you."

He closed his eyes and one teardrop escaped and trickled down his cheek. "I can't do this right now…I'm tired."

"Deeks, please talk to me."

"I said I was tired." His voice broke and he awkwardly turned onto his side so that his back was to her. "You…you should go."

"You sleep, Deeks," Kensi relented as she began to soothingly rub his back in a circular motion. "I'm not going anywhere though. I'm going to be right here when you wake up."

xxxxx

Bart heard the footsteps approaching his bedside and at first he deliberately kept his eyes closed. However, after the footsteps had stopped and nothing was said, curiosity got the best of him and he opened his eyes to see Agent Hanna and Henrietta Lange standing by his bed.

"Henrietta! What a lovely surprise. How kind it is of you to come and visit me after all these years. You've barely changed at all, except for appearing to have shrunken a bit," he said, smiling. "And you too, Agent Hanna, though I would have thought you would be with your partner, comforting him in his last moments, or… I'm sorry, has he already passed?"

"Shut up," Sam growled, already losing control of himself. He took another step closer to Bart's bed and Hetty quickly grabbed his arm.

"Mr. Hanna. Please keep yourself under control or I'm going to have to insist that you leave."

"Yes, Agent Hanna, listen to your little boss," Bart said with a chuckle. "Henrietta always knows best or at least that's what she thinks with her tiny little mind."

"We want to know if there's an antidote," Sam said, glaring at Bart.

"He does cut right to the chase, doesn't he?" Bart said as an aside to Hetty. "And of course there's an antidote. What kind of a person would I be to order the formulation of a poison without an antidote?"

"Okay, where can we get it?" Sam asked with a glimmer of hope.

Bart turned his attention to the handcuffs binding his wrist to the bedrail. "Handcuffs and two guards in the hallway… Am I really such a threat?" he asked, ignoring Sam's question.

"I asked you a question," Sam shouted. "Where the hell can I get the antidote?"

"You weren't so volatile in camp," Bart said, looking at Sam thoughtfully. "Does Henrietta have this effect on you? If so, I can't really say I blame you. She causes my own blood to boil as well. Although…she's not quite as imposing as she used to be."

"Enough of this, Bartholomew," Hetty said. "Please tell us what we need to know and spare yourself a murder charge on top of everything else."

Bart started to laugh. "Do you think it really matters? I know that once I go back to prison that I'm not getting out. Not ever. Do you really think I'm so stupid?"

"What do you want?" Sam snapped. "I know you want something."

"Freedom, Agent Hanna," Bart said with a sinister smile. "I want freedom."

"Fine, you want freedom, you've got it," Sam said. "Now tell us what we want to know. How can we get hold of the antidote?"

Bart shook his head. "You really must think I'm some kind of an imbecile. If I'm to give you this bit of information, I'm doing it with notarized paperwork and lawyers witnessing the whole thing. I'm not such a fool that I would take you at your word."

Sam shared a long look with Hetty. He knew they would never be able to make that happen.

"Why, Bart?" Hetty asked, looking at him sadly. "Do you really hold such a grudge against me that you would do this to my team?"

Bart turned his attention toward Hetty, glaring at her. "Yes…yes I do," he snarled. "You are the reason I was imprisoned to begin with. After you took in that snot-nosed kid, nothing was the same."

"You think Callen was the reason I didn't help you?" Hetty asked, shaking her head in disbelief. "You broke the law. He was not the reason. I wouldn't have helped you whether or not he was in the picture. You knew what my job was. I don't know why you would have thought any differently."

"I THOUGHT you were my friend. You could have looked the other way," Bart snarled. "But you chose to ignore our so-called friendship and for that you've been forced to pay a heavy price. Not only will you lose your darling Agent Callen, but the rest of your team will be permanently scarred from what I put them through. None of them will ever be the same."

"What exactly did you put them through?" Hetty asked, genuinely curious although a part of her was afraid of the answer he might give.

"Hetty…this isn't the time," Sam said. "There will be plenty of time to discuss that later. We need to focus on the antidote. Where is it?" He turned toward Bartholomew, his expression furious, but with a touch of pleading in his eyes as well.

"Freedom, Agent Hanna. And by my calculations, your partner likely doesn't have a lot of time left. Best come to an agreement quickly." His gaze once again traveled to Hetty and a smug smile appeared on his face. "I guess they didn't tell you the horrid things they did to each other, did they? Agent Hanna here whipped his partner's bare back 20 times. And Detective Deeks…"

"SHUT UP!" Sam yelled at him. "Shut the hell up, now or I'll shut you up!"

A doctor came into the room just then. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave," he ordered, glaring at Sam. "This patient just came out of surgery not long ago. He can't be upset."

"Really?" Sam asked the doctor furiously. "Do you have any clue what this bastard has done?"

"He's a patient in the hospital and what he has or has not done has no bearing here. He has the same rights as any other patient under my care."

"Sam…" Hetty put her hand on his arm. "We're not doing any good here. He's not going to help us."

"You're giving up?" Sam turned to Hetty with tears in his eyes. "We're just going to let G die?"

"You know better than that," Hetty said. "I have another thought. Come on. Let's go. We're just wasting time here."

The two started to leave the room as Bart screamed after them, cackling loudly. "You just signed Agent Callen's death warrant! Don't come running back to me when it's too late. Just remember that you could have helped him when you're standing by his grave. With friends like the two of you, he doesn't need enemies!"


	30. Chapter 30

_Thanks so much for all the reviews for the last chapter. I really appreciate them. Also, I'm pretty sure I missed people in responding to reviews. I haven't been getting many email notifications and wasn't sure who I responded to so if I missed you, I'm really sorry. Thanks for reading._

xxxxx

His body tense with suppressed rage, Sam walked rapidly down the hallway until he reached a relatively deserted area, away from the patient rooms. He then pounded the wall with his fist.

"Feel better?" Hetty asked, her eyes narrowed as she watched him.

"No, no I don't," Sam said, turning to face the diminutive operations manager. "What is there to feel better about? We've got nothing. NOTHING, Hetty. G…G's going to…" He couldn't finish the sentence as tears filled his eyes.

Hetty walked over to him and gently patted his arm. "Go to your partner, Sam. Go and sit with him. I don't think we should leave him alone for too long."

Sam shook his head. "I need to do something, Hetty. There…there has to be something…"

"I told you I have an idea, Mr. Hanna and as soon as Mr. Beale gets here, I will talk to him about it."

"Eric?" Sam asked, his eyes filled with confusion. "What can Eric do, Hetty? Let me help."

"This isn't something you can help me with," Hetty said soothingly. "Trust me, Mr. Hanna. Go be with your partner and I will be there too just as soon as I can."

Sam stared back at Hetty for a long moment and then nodded. Without another word, he then turned and headed off, his shoulders slumped and his head hanging dejectedly.

xxxxx

"Mr. Beale. Ms. Jones." Hetty called out as she walked along the east wing corridor and spied her two operations specialists, who were just coming out of an elevator.

"Hi Hetty." Eric greeted her solemnly. "We just dropped the vials off at the lab. I'm not sure how much help they'll be, but at least it's a chance."

"Very good, Eric," Hetty said, "But right now, there's something else I need your help with. I think it could very well be the key to helping Mr. Callen."

"Of course, Hetty," Eric said. "I'll do anything I can to help Callen. What is it you want me to do?"

"I want you to pay a visit to Michael Shaughnessy."

Eric shook his head, looking confused. "But…I don't think he has any medical knowledge, Hetty… Explosives and bombs are an entirely different thing."

"Yes, yes, I understand that," Hetty said impatiently. "However he worked in a lab and there were other laboratories in the building, as well. "I'm hoping that the scientist who formulated the poison also worked there and Mr. Shaughnessy may know who he is. Perhaps we can gain access to the antidote that way. Unless this formulation is a very common one, I don't have the highest hopes that the lab here will be able to develop anything soon enough to help. In any case, I think we can get some kind of a deal for Mr. Shaughnessy which may make him more compelled to help us. Come along. Time is of the essence."

xxxxx

 _Callen felt a hand on his shoulder and he groaned softly. "Sam?"_

" _No, it's not Sam," Bart's familiar voice caused Callen's eyes to open in a panic. "It's your good old friend, Bart. I wanted to visit you and see how you were doing after your ordeal. I'm very concerned about you."_

" _Get…get out of here," Callen said weakly. "I…I don't want you here. Where's Sam?"_

" _Well, confidentially speaking," Bart began in an exaggerated whisper. "I think he's rather disgusted with you at the moment. He didn't particularly like the way you played the last segment of our little game."_

" _The poison?" Callen asked him, shaking his head. "You made me drink it…doesn't he understand?"_

 _Bart laughed once again. "Not that segment, Agent Callen. The segment which came after it."_

" _I don't know what you're talking about," Callen said. "There was no more. That was it…you were arrested. Speaking of which…how are you even here? Why aren't you in custody?"_

" _Friends in high places," Bart said with a smile. "I was given the privilege of visiting you."_

" _Well I don't want you here," Callen snapped. "Get out."_

 _Bart sighed. "I'm sorry you feel that way, but, I suppose it's understandable. I think you must blame me for your teammates' fate, but in fact, you have only yourself to blame."_

" _What fate? What are you talking about?"_

 _Bart shook his head sadly and spoke in a voice oozing false sympathy. "Oh Agent Callen...I sincerely hope you're joking, aren't you? Unless…Oh dear…was what happened so traumatic that you've blocked it out of your memory?"_

" _I told you to go…" Callen said. "Just get out of here before I call security and have them take you out of here."_

 _Bart shook his head sadly. "Security isn't going to be taking me anywhere I'm afraid. Have you even noticed your left wrist?"_

" _I..." Callen's eyes traveled to his wrist and widened in shock. He was handcuffed to the bedrail. "I don't understand…"_

" _You also have an ankle monitor, just in case you try to escape. They don't want a criminal such as yourself getting away. How the mighty have fallen. It really is a shame. Even Henrietta has turned her back on you. She was very fond of Detective Deeks and Agent Blye."_

" _Wh…what are you talking about? Kensi and Deeks are fine…they flew back with us."_

" _You have a very active imagination, Agent Callen. Don't you remember the final question? Who should live? You and your partner or Agent Blye and Detective Deeks. Perhaps you had a grudge against the lovely agent Blye for her withholding water from you."_

" _That wasn't Kensi. It was YOU!" Callen growled._

" _Well, be that as it may, you decided your own life and your partner's were more important and alas…" Bart put his hand into his shirt pocket and pulled out a photograph which he handed to Callen. Rather a lovely picture, don't you think? They held each other's hands and were very brave as you proceeded to shoot them each in the head. I thought it was most thoughtful of you to shoot Detective Deeks first. He was already so distraught over having to whip his girlfriend. At least he didn't have to see her lying dead on the ground."_

" _No…" Callen whispered as he shook his head. "I…I didn't…I couldn't…"_

" _YOU DID!" Bart said loudly. "Even your own partner begged you not to. You killed two people in love who had their whole lives ahead of them. You had the gun in your hand. Did you even think to try to shoot me, you fool? I half expected you to do it. In fact, I would have welcomed the sweet release of death, better than returning to prison, but you were inept and you killed them."_

" _I…I would never. I didn't kill them."_

" _You did," Bart said._

" _I did?" Callen asked, finally accepting the unbearable truth of what he'd done. "No…no. I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"_

 _xxxxx_

"No, I'm sorry, please forgive me. I'm so sorry."

Sam stared at his suddenly hysterical partner and immediately tried to wake him. "G! Come on buddy, wake up. It's okay. You're okay."

Callen's eyes opened and he stared up at Sam, pale and trembling, his blue eyes filled with tears. "Go away, Sam. Please leave. You know you don't want to be here."

"Of course I want to be here, G," Sam spoke gently, trying to comfort his partner. "I wasn't gone for long. I just…" He decided not to talk about Bart, not wanting to upset Callen any further. "I'm sorry."

Callen stared at Sam, looking more and more distraught. "You're sorry?! What are you sorry for, Sam?" he asked tremulously. "I'm the one who did it. I'm the one who killed them. They're dead, DEAD! and I did it!"

"Whoa, buddy," Sam said, totally confused by Calen's words. "Who's dead, G? Who are you talking about?"

"Just go," Callen said mournfully, trying to turn away from his partner, but Sam held onto him and wouldn't let him go. Not that it took much effort on his part to hold Callen in place as he was noticeably weak. "Please Sam, leave me alone."

"Come on, buddy. Let me help you," Sam pleaded. "What has you so upset? I can't help you if you won't tell me what's wrong."

"All I can say is I hope this poison works quickly," Callen said, appearing to be in total despair, trying once again, unsuccessfully, to move away from Sam. "I don't deserve to live after what I've done and I don't want to…"

"Don't talk like that," Sam said sharply, shaken by his friend's words, not knowing where they were coming from.

"Why not? I'm only telling the truth, and don't tell me you're not thinking the same thing after what I did."

"Damn it, G, what the hell are you talking about?" Sam yelled. "What is it that you did? Tell me!"

"I KILLED KENSI AND DEEKS!"

Sam stared at Callen in silent shock as he tried to digest what he had said. "G…buddy…you didn't do that. Kensi and Deeks are fine. I promise you they are."

Callen shook his head, the tears freely flowing now. "Don't even say that, Sam. I…I know they're dead. Bart was here…he showed me the picture. He told me what happened…what I did…"

"G…" Sam reached for his partner and gently rubbed his shoulder. "You didn't do anything. Kensi and Deeks are alive. I swear to you they are. You just had a nightmare, granted a very bad and real nightmare, but that's all. It wasn't real."

"I'm really tired, Sam…just…just leave me alone, please?"

Sam sighed. It was obvious his partner wasn't capable of listening to reason at the moment. "All right, but I'll be back soon and I'll prove to you that they're fine. You just rest, G." Sam watched as Callen closed his eyes, the tears still present on his cheeks. When Callen's breathing had evened off into a steady rhythm, Sam left him to go find Kensi and Deeks and prove to his friend that they were fine.

xxxxx

Kensi sat by Deeks' bedside, grateful that her fiancé was peacefully sleeping, at last. She hoped that the rest would do him good and that he'd start to heal soon, both physically as well as emotionally. She had a feeling it wasn't going to be that easy though. She looked up in surprise when Sam came into the room, pushing a wheelchair. "Hi Sam…What's going on?"

"How's Deeks?"

"He's having his ups and downs, but he's finally resting which is what he needs. Why do you have a wheelchair?"

"I hate to do this, Kensi, but I really need you and Deeks to come with me to see Callen."

Kensi's eyes began to brim over. "Is…is it time?" she asked, her thoughts immediately going to the worse possibility, that Callen was about to die.

Sam shook his head. "No... not yet anyway." At least he hoped it wasn't yet. He had no real way of knowing.

"Deeks really needs his rest," Kensi told him, speaking very softly. "He's been so upset and he's finally asleep. I don't think this is the best time. Maybe when he wakes up."

Sam shook his head adamantly. "No, Kensi. It has to be now. It's important."

"Why, Sam?" Kensi looked back at him wearily. All she wanted at the moment was to curl up with Deeks in bed and sleep. She was exhausted, but she wasn't allowing herself to close her eyes, at least not yet.

"Because…because G thinks the two of you are dead. He thinks he killed you."

"What?" Deeks broke into the conversation as he awoke and he looked at Sam through half open eyes. "Callen thinks we're dead? Why?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know, Deeks. He's kind of out of it and he had a bad nightmare and woke up really overwrought. He insisted that he killed the two of you."

"What can we do?" Deeks asked.

"I just need you both to come to see him so he knows you're okay. He's just so upset. It can't be good for him. He has to put all his strength into fighting the effects of this poison, not losing his will to live because he thinks he killed you."

Deeks nodded. "Whatever it takes, Sam."

Sam breathed a sigh of relief as he smiled at the detective. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

"No problem, Sam," Deeks said. "We all have to do whatever we can to help each other through this."

Kensi pulled the covers aside and Sam carefully helped Deeks off the bed and into the wheelchair. "You okay?" he asked. "Do you need a pillow or a blanket or anything?"

Deeks shook his head. "I'm good, Sam. Let's get this show on the road."

xxxxx

The trio arrived in Callen's room a short time later. Sam wheeled Deeks right up next to Callen's bed and then gently shook Callen's shoulder. "G? Hey buddy, wake up."

"Go away Sam," Callen mumbled with his eyes closed. "I don't want to talk anymore." Sam directed his gaze to Deeks who nodded understandingly.

"What about me, Callen?" Deeks asked. "Do you want to talk to me?" Callen visibly tensed when he heard Deeks' voice and his breathing quickened. The readings on his heart monitor increased and Sam proceeded to rub his partner's shoulder, attempting to keep him calm.

"Come on, Callen," Kensi urged gently. "I'm here too. Can't you open your eyes and talk to us?"

Finally, Callen did as Kensi had requested. He forced his eyes open then stared at Kensi and Deeks as if they were ghosts, which in his eyes, they were. "It can't be true," he said shakily. "I…I shot you…both of you…You…You're dead. I saw the picture…"

"Hey man, we're fine," Deeks said quietly. "You didn't shoot us."

"But…Bart said…"

"Callen, please," Kensi said soothingly as she took his hand in her own. "Bart's nothing but a psychopathic liar…and nightmare Bart is even worse. You were dreaming. You didn't shoot us."

"Kensi's right," Deeks said softly. "Through this whole thing, you didn't really hurt any of us…only yourself when you drank the poison. You need to concentrate on fighting that. Don't waste your energy worrying about something that didn't even happen."

"Listen to them, G," Sam said. "You know we wouldn't lie to you."

"We're right here," Kensi said, squeezing Callen's hand gently. "Flesh and blood. I promise you."

Callen finally seemed to believe what his teammates were telling him. "I…I really thought…"

"Well, it wasn't true," Kensi said as she leaned down to hug him. "You just need to concentrate on trying to get well, Callen okay? That's the best thing you can do for us."

Callen nodded then focused his eyes on Deeks. "How are you?" he asked him. "Are you doing okay?"

Deeks nodded. "I'm going to be fine, Callen. You need to be fine too, okay? We don't want to give Bart the satisfaction of getting any of us down. You need to fight, Callen. Fight hard to get past this."

"Okay, Deeks…I'll try…" Callen said with a wan smile. Truthfully, he wasn't sure if that was going to be possible, but he would do the best he could to make it happen.


	31. Chapter 31

Thanks so much for all the nice comments and support you've given this story. I appreciate it more than I can say. Also, just a warning, this chapter ends with a bit of a cliffhanger. Thanks for reading :)

xxxxx

"There's another bed here," Sam nodded meaningfully towards the empty bed in Callen's room. "The two of you should stay…I mean…unless you'd rather not."

"Of course we'll stay," Deeks said. He looked at Callen to get his opinion on the matter but he was already asleep.

"He does that," Sam explained softly. "He's not able to stay awake for very long." He closed his eyes for a long moment and then looked at his partner emotionally before turning back to Kensi and Deeks. "Hetty said she had some kind of a plan, but…" He shook his head. "I just don't know…"

"You know that Hetty will do everything in her power to help Callen," Kensi said softly, trying to keep her friend's spirits up. "Callen means the world to her."

"To me too," Sam said, barely managing to hold back the tears that were coming all too easily to him now. "But there's nothing I can do for him…" Except to be there for Callen. However, it only provided him the slightest bit of consolation that he would be there for his partner in a way he hadn't been able to be for his wife. He didn't want this to happen. All he wanted was for his friend and partner to overcome this and be okay.

xxxxx

" _I saw what you did to your girlfriend." Gordon Brandel stared at his son with something akin to pride in his eyes. "I never really figured you for having much potential. I always thought you were too soft, too much like your mother, but you proved me wrong, Martin. Good for you."_

 _Deeks stared at his father, his eyes full of emotion and shock. "You…you're dead," he finally managed to stammer._

 _Brandel nodded, looking proud. "I ain't gonna lie. I am dead, but when I saw how you're a chip off the old block after all, I couldn't resist asking for a day pass to come on up and tell you how proud I am of you. I've got to say, it's nice to be where it's cool and refreshing. It gets kind of hot down there, if you know what I mean." Brandel winked then went on. "I never thought I'd see the day when I realized you'd be joining me in the future, but that day has come. Gives me something to look forward to."_

" _A day pass?" Deeks asked, shaking his head as if by denying it, he could make this be untrue. "I…I'm nothing like you. I would never have hurt Kensi if Bart hadn't forced me. I couldn't have let Burke beat Callen. He would have killed him."_

 _Brandel chuckled. "I know you had to hurt her," he said, winking at his son. "I had to hurt your mom too and you as well. The devil made me do it. Your friend Callen's a grown man. He could have defended himself against that Burke fellow, but you didn't even want to find out. We was even taking bets on if that Callen fellow could hold his own, but you changed the whole gambling circle when you said you'd whip Kensi. A lot of the fellows didn't think you had it in you. I've got to admit, I didn't think so either, but you took that opportunity to beat on your girl and you ran with it. How'd it feel? That first time you laid a stroke on her back? How'd it feel to inflict pain on her? I bet it gave you a hell of a thrill didn't it? Me and my friends were watching from below, cheering you on. Every stroke you laid on her increased my feelings of pride. I told them, that's my boy! Some of the guys said you wouldn't be able to follow through, but I finally saw what I'd never seen before. You remember that old song, Cat's in the Cradle? That line? 'When I hung up the phone it occurred to me, he'd grown up just like me…my boy was just like me…' All of a sudden, I remembered that line and it made me think of you. Damn boy, just about made me want to cry, but not tears of sadness, tears of pure joy."_

 _An increasing sense of horror overcame Deeks as he listened to his father's words. He'd wanted his father's approval so badly when he was a boy, but hearing the words now, over something he'd never wanted to do, made him sick to his stomach. "I'm not like you," he denied as he shook his head trying to force the repulsive thought from his mind. "I'm nothing like you! Nothing like you!"_

" _You are me!" Brandel shouted as he began to laugh with glee. "You're me, Martin! You're me and I've never felt so damn proud to be a father. I can't wait to see your future. I know it's going to be bright in spite of the blackness of your soul. This was just the beginning, my boy…just the beginning…"_

xxxxx

"I'm not like you, I'm not. I'm nothing like you." Deeks tossed and turned on his bed, still caught up in the nightmare. "Please just go away and leave me alone." As Kensi had gone to discuss Deeks moving into Callen's room with Deeks' doctor, Sam went to the young detective's side. "Deeks? Hey come on man, wake up."

Finally, Deeks' eyes opened and he looked up at Sam, white-faced and shaky. "Sam?" He looked around, glad that Kensi wasn't witnessing this, but missing her just the same. "Where's Kensi?"

"She went to talk to your doctor, remember?" Sam asked as he sat in the chair by Deeks' bedside. "Are you alright?"

"You should be with Callen," Deeks replied, avoiding Sam's question.

"He's asleep," Sam said softly as he stole a look at his partner to make sure that was still the case.

"You should be with him anyway."

Sam just sat quietly as he waited Deeks out.

"What?" Deeks snapped finally. "What do you want, Sam?"

"I thought you might want to talk," Sam said. "What were you dreaming about? Whatever it was had you pretty upset."

"I'm fine."

"Really? You don't seem fine to me."

"Appearances can be deceiving."

"True." Sam nodded thoughtfully as he considered Deeks' words. "In this case though I don't think that's the case."

"Well, I guess you don't know everything then."

"Come on Deeks, it may help to talk about it."

"I said there's nothing to talk about."

At that moment, Callen began to whimper in his sleep. Sam sighed as he got to his feet to go back to his partner. "Well…I'm right here if you need me."

Deeks said nothing as he watched Sam return to Callen's side. There was no one who could help him with this. No one understood the true reality of what he had done.

xxxxx

"What do you want?" Shaugnessy snarled at Eric as he walked into the interrogation room where Shaugnessy sat with his hands cuffed behind him. "I've got nothing to say to you."

"Maybe you should listen to what I have to say, just in case," Eric said.

"You stabbed me in the back, made me think you wanted Callen dead as much as I did."

"Why?" Eric asked.

"Why?" Shaughnessy asked shifting in obviously discomfort against the handcuffs he was bound by. "Why what?"

"Why do you want Callen dead?" Eric asked, honestly wanting an answer to the question. "What did he ever do to you?"

"I…" Shaughnessy began but then he stopped, appearing not to know what to say. "I don't know…" he finally admitted.

"Bart can't help you now," Eric said, with a calm, almost soothing tone to his voice. "But maybe you can help Callen and in doing so, maybe you can help yourself as well."

"What do you mean? How can you help me?" Shaughnessy asked, looking back at Eric suspiciously.

"Hetty has been talking to people about giving you a deal. An alternative to spending a lot of years in prison. She believes that your high end skills could be used for other things besides destruction. It would be a chance for you to do some good and change your life as well."

"What about Bart?"

"What about him?" Eric countered. "Like I said, he can't help you. Trust me, you're well off his radar now. You're no good to him anymore."

"So…what do you want to know?"

"There's a scientist, someone who developed the poison for Bart. Do you know who he is?"

Shaughnessy hesitated, appearing to weigh all his options, but he finally nodded. "Yes. I can tell you what you need to know."

xxxxx

"Albert Garvey?" Hetty asked as she entered the laboratory with Eric and Nell following right behind her.

"Yes, I'm Albert Garvey, now who are you and who gave you permission to come in here?" Garvey, wearing safety goggles and a lab coat, snapped at them. "This is a hazardous area. It's dangerous for you to be here. Now get out."

"My name is Henrietta Lange and I work for NCIS. One of my agents is currently hospitalized in critical condition because of a poison which you developed for Bartholomew Richards.

"What?" Garvey shook his head, appearing stunned by the news. "I…I had no idea he would give the poison to someone…He never…"

"Did you think he wanted a poison developed for kicks and giggles?" Henrietta asked. "Surely you know better than that."

"I just…I don't know… I never…"

Hetty gave an exasperated huff. "Oh stop with this nonsense. What we're here for Mr. Garvey is an antidote and please don't tell me that you don't have one because that will make me very, very angry and that is something you don't want to see. Trust me on that."

"Uh yes, I have the antidote," Garvey said nervously as he walked to the other side of the room where there was a cabinet full of bottles and vials. "I…I know it's in here somewhere…let me see…AR-77, B342, 93EV…" He searched through the shelves, moving things around as he searched until finally he pulled one out. "Ah here it is EB-14." He walked the bottle over to Hetty and handed it to her. "The instructions are right there on the label. I hope it helps your agent."

"Why wouldn't it help him?" Hetty asked.

Garvey shrugged. "It depends on a lot of factors. The strength and overall condition of your agent, the length of time the poison has been in his system…things like that."

"Hetty, we should go," Nell said.

"The sooner we get it to Callen, the better his chances," Eric stated.

"Yes…of course you're right," Hetty said. "We need to get this to Mr. Callen right away."

xxxxx

Callen awoke suddenly, shivering and with a pounding in his head, the likes of which he had never felt before. He groaned softly and put his head to his forehead, unsuccessfully trying to massage the pain away.

"G? Hey buddy, are you okay?" Sam, who was sitting at his partner's bedside, leaned towards Callen, concern in his eyes.

Callen just groaned again, too caught up in the pain to answer his partner.

"G? It's your head? How bad is it?"

Deeks and Kensi, looked on worriedly from their side of the room.

Seeing that Callen was visibly shivering, Sam pushed the call button and requested that someone bring a couple of blankets to the room as soon as possible. "G? Can you hear me?" Sam tried again to get some kind of a response out of his partner. He could see that he was so caught up in the pain that he wasn't able to respond. He watched as Callen again put his hand to his head. He then quickly went to the bathroom and soaked a washcloth in cold water and folded it into a compress. He brought it back to Callen and placed it on his forehead. "Here you go, maybe this will help."

"Thanks, Sam," Callen whispered, his eyes still closed. He put his hand over the compress and pressed on it, trying to get the coolness to penetrate the painful area even more deeply. He then whimpered as he shifted on the bed, trying to get more comfortable, but the slight movement only caused the pain to increase.

"G?"

"God, Sam…this really hurts," Callen said tremulously as tears began to emerge from behind his closed eyelids. "It hurts so bad. I need it to stop. Please make it stop."

With his partner pleading like that, Sam realized the situation had reached a dire point. He grabbed the call button again, this time his voice filled with anxiety. "Can you send a doctor here right away? Please, send a doctor now!" He glanced over at Kensi and Deeks who were clutching each other's hands tightly as they watched the drama unfolding. Knowing no other way to help his friend except to be there with him, Sam grabbed Callen's hand and squeezed it. "I'm right here, G…I'm right with you."

Callen tried to open his eyes to look at his partner, but when he did, everything seemed to tilt and he got extremely dizzy so he quickly closed them again as he tried to take comfort in the fact that Sam was there.

A few moments later a doctor entered the room and quickly assessed the situation then morphine was administered into Callen's IV. Almost instantly, the intense pain began to ebb and Callen fell asleep. Sam continued to sit with him, with an almost desperate grip on Callen's hand, knowing that the end was getting closer for his friend.


	32. Chapter 32

_Thanks so much for your support for the last chapter. It was really amazing. I just hope I can keep your interest with the story now that they've been rescued and things are moving along at a much slower pace. Thanks so much for reading._

xxxxx

About 15 minutes after Callen had fallen asleep, Dr. Carlisle came into the room with Hetty, Eric and Nell. "We have the antidote," Hetty stated as they all watched the doctor inject some of the liquid into Callen's IV.

"Where did you get it?" Sam asked quietly, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"We found the scientist who developed the poison in the first place," Hetty explained. "With a little bit of persuasion, Eric was able to get Mr. Shaughnessy to talk."

"Good job, Eric," Sam said, nodding at Eric. Sam's attention then focused on Dr. Carlisle. "What are his chances now? When will we know?"

"As this is a formula I'm unfamiliar with, it's difficult to pinpoint that. We'll just monitor him closely as well as keep a close eye on his blood work."

"Albert Garvey, the scientist, said that it all depends on the patient's condition and how long the poison has been in his system," Nell said.

"He really didn't give us a direct answer." Hetty walked over to Callen and gently put her hand over his. "All we can do right now is hope and pray that we got him the antidote in time."

"I'll be back soon," Dr. Carlisle told them as he made some notations on his clipboard. "I have some patients to see. Let the nurses know if he has any changes in his condition and they'll page me right away."

"Thanks, doctor." Sam turned his eyes back to his partner. "You've got the medicine you need now, buddy," he said. "The rest is up to you. I know you can do this G. You've got to fight, just as hard as you can. Please…please don't give up…"

"You know he's not going to give up, Sam," Hetty said, her eyes full of emotion as she turned towards him. "If it's in his power to get past this, you know that he will."

"Hetty's right," Kensi said. "Callen won't give up, Sam."

When Kensi spoke, Hetty walked over to where she was sitting, perched on the edge of Deeks' bed.

"It's good to see you, Mr. Deeks," Hetty said as she smiled at him. "You don't look too bad. Tell me, how are you feeling?"

"I'm doing okay, Hetty," Deeks said with what looked like Hetty to be a forced smile. She could see sadness in his eyes and she wanted to question him more, but not with a roomful of people. "I'm glad to hear that. We've just got to get you and Mr. Callen well and back home again."

"I don't think I'll be here too long," Deeks said.

"Don't forget, you still need to have surgery," Kensi reminded him gently. "I don't want you pushing yourself too much."

"I'm sure that you won't let that happen, Ms. Blye," Hetty said. "Now, have you and Mr. Hanna had anything to eat since you've gotten here?"

Kensi and Sam exchanged a look which made it very evident that they had not. "Now that won't do at all," Hetty scolded mildly. "I want the two of you to head to the cafeteria and get yourselves something. Mr. Beale and Miss Jones will accompany you, just to make sure you do as I say."

Kensi nodded and looked at Deeks. "Can I bring you anything?"

Deeks shook his head. "I'm sure they'll be bringing in something for me to eat, Kens."

"Come on, Deeks. You know whatever they bring you isn't going to be as good as what I can bring back for you."

"I'm really not that hungry, baby," he said.

"Alright…I won't push you," Kensi relented as she looked over at Sam. "Come on, Sam…Let's go."

Sam glanced quickly over at Hetty then shook his head. "I don't want to leave him right now, Kensi."

"Mr. Hanna…"

"I'm sorry, Hetty. I know you want me to go, but I'm not going to. Not right now. I just…I'm not comfortable with leaving G right now. You can't force me to…" He looked at Nell and Eric. "You guys want to bring me back a sandwich or something?"

Eric and Nell both looked over at Hetty who nodded at them. "It's fine," she said. "Please bring Mr. Hanna a sandwich, salad and perhaps some fruit. It's important that he keep up his strength."

Sam opened his mouth to protest, but Hetty shook her finger at him. "Don't even try, Mr. Hanna," she said. "I won't have you and Ms. Blye getting sick taking care of your partners and ignoring your own well-being."

"Kensi doesn't need to take care of me," Deeks muttered from his bed.

"I'm not going to get sick, Hetty," Sam protested. "Besides…Bart made sure I ate just fine while being held prisoner. G was the one…" He looked at his partner sadly without finishing the sentence.

"I guess we should go," Kensi said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that was now hanging over the room. She, for one, didn't like to be reminded of how food and water had been withheld from Callen. "Come on you two," she said to Eric and Nell and the three of them left the room.

xxxxx

After Kensi, Eric and Nell had left, Hetty turned her attention to Deeks and spoke quietly to him. "So Mr. Deeks, how are you doing really? I daresay that you're not quite as good as you're trying to make everyone believe you are."

"I'm fine, Hetty," Deeks said. "Once they do the surgery and I heal up, I'll be as good as new." Sam glanced over at them, but didn't say anything, instead keeping focused on his partner.

"Well, that's very good to hear," Hetty said although she didn't believe what he was telling her. "Now that it's just us though, I'd like to hear a bit more about what happened out there with Bartholomew." She spoke more loudly now, indicating that Sam was to be included in the conversation.

"Do we have to do this now, Hetty?" Sam asked. "I'd rather not, if you don't mind."

"And I'd rather we do," Hetty said. "At least give me a synopsis of what went on. I do think I'm entitled to that much information at least."

"I'd really like to concentrate on G if he wakes up."

Hetty shook her head slowly. "You know better, Mr. Hanna. If Mr. Callen even stirs, I'll do nothing to impede your attentiveness to him. You're going to be right here with him. I'm only asking for a little bit of information, not that you mercilessly abandon your partner."

"Well…in return for that information, there are some things I'd like to know as well. What's your history with Bart and why did he have such an intense dislike…actually it was hatred…why did he hate G so much?"

Hetty sighed softly to herself. She didn't particularly want to delve into that at the moment, but she supposed it was only fair, considering that what had happened had all been a result of Bart's twisted plan of revenge against her. "Alright, Mr. Hanna. I'll tell you what I can," Hetty said. "As for the reason for Bartholomew's hatred of Mr. Callen, I really have no idea. They had very little contact with each other. I can only recall a couple of times when they were actually together. However, Bart had no tolerance for children and when I first took in Mr. Callen he was not shy about giving his opinion about it."

"Which was?" Sam prompted as he glanced over at Deeks who was also listening closely to Hetty's story.

"That it was a bad idea doomed to failure. If I wanted a child, he thought it should have been a younger one, a child not already formed and set in his ways as Mr. Callen most certainly was." Hetty smiled fondly at her memories of Callen when he had first arrived at Dovecote. "Your partner was very suspicious back then, Sam," Hetty recalled. "He didn't trust the situation he was in and he certainly didn't trust me. With what he'd had to endure in life though, I didn't expect it to be any different with him. He actually warmed up to me quicker than I had anticipated."

"G was pretty distrustful of me when we first became partners too," Sam said. "He always did his job impeccably well, but that was it. He barely talked to me, even about our cases and there were certainly no personal conversations between us. It was all business. He wasn't about to share details of his own life and I don't think he cared too much about mine."

"So what changed?" Deeks asked, caught up in the stories he was hearing about their team leader. "I mean…the two of you couldn't be any closer than you are now."

"That's true," Sam said, smiling down at his sleeping partner. "The day he started to turn around was when I brought him to my house one day on our lunch break. Kamran was sick with an ear infection and I had gone to the pharmacy to get her prescription and drop it off to Michelle." Sam's expression at the memory was a combination of happiness and sadness. "The kids were drawn to him right away. Kam wouldn't leave his side the whole time he was there and my wife…well let's just say she was drawn to as she called it 'Callen's little lost boy quality.' She invited him to dinner for that Friday night and things began to thaw pretty quickly."

"You two have always brought out the best in each other," Hetty said.

"I just hope that continues on," Sam said, his worry obvious.

"Callen's a strong guy, Sam," Deeks said. "I really believe he'll fight through this."

"I hope you're right, Deeks."

"So Hetty," Deeks asked as he awkwardly tried to plump his pillow with one arm. "You still haven't really told us what happened between you and Bart.

Hetty walked over to Deeks and fluffed his pillow for him. Once he had settled back down and was comfortable she began to speak. "Nothing really specific happened. Bart didn't call as much after I took Mr. Callen in and like I said, Callen only saw the man maybe twice. We met for lunch a few times and then nothing, that is until he was caught in the midst of an arms deal gone bad and I had no choice but to arrest him."

"He spent a lot of years plotting his revenge," Sam said musingly. "He basically focused on G for no real reason whatsoever."

"Well, it's rather obvious that he focused on Mr. Callen, as well as the rest of you, to get to me and he succeeded. But...speaking of that, you've yet to really tell me what went on." Hetty looked at Deeks and then Sam, trying to decide who was more likely to talk. She finally decided on Sam. There seemed to be more buried under the surface with Mr. Deeks. "Perhaps you could share a bit now about what happened, Mr. Hanna?"

Sam glanced at his partner who remained asleep and ran his hand over his face. "I don't even know where to begin, Hetty."

"Well, we have video footage of when the four of you were abducted so you can start after that," Hetty prompted.

"We were flown out to Bart's campsite and he finally revealed who he was. His plan, at that time, was to hunt us and kill us."

Hetty nodded, trying to keep expressionless although what Sam was telling her made her feel sick inside. "Go on."

"Well, we just took off into the woods. During our trek, they caught up to us at various times. Deeks was shot and G almost killed by a graze to the head. He…he fell into the river." Sam's voice became only a whisper as he recalled that particular bad memory. "I…I thought he was dead. That's when they recaptured him and almost blew him up. If it hadn't been for Kensi, they would have…"

Sam took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before going on. "When Bart and his band of goons caught up with us again, that's when things took a twisted turn. Evidently, Bart became bored by his hunt and decided to take his game in a different direction. That's what he called all of this, a game," Sam stated bitterly.

"And what did he do then?" Hetty asked quietly.

"He pit us against each other, having to make choices that would hurt each other."

"Such as?"

"Such as, which set of partners gets blankets or food…or water…" Sam took a deep breath, obviously affected by this one.

"And he forced you to withhold water from Mr. Callen."

Sam nodded. "And he'd make the rest of us eat and drink all kinds of tempting foods and drinks, just to rub it in that we could eat and drink and G couldn't. All he wanted was some water…but Bart refused."

"Your friend's a real bastard, Hetty," Deeks said as he fidgeted with the edge of the blanket covering him.

"Trust me, Mr. Deeks…he's no friend of mine."

"Yeah, I know that Hetty," Deeks said as he nervously brushed his hand back through his hair then glanced at Sam warily. "I think you've said enough for now."

Sam hesitated as he met Deeks' eyes. He then nodded and looked back at Hetty. "Deeks is right…"

Hetty stared back at Sam for a long moment and then nodded. "All right. We'll let it go for now." She then turned back to Deeks who had closed his eyes. She knew he was pretending to be asleep, but she decided to let it be for the moment. There was really no rush to delve further into what had happened. They had all gone through a lot and it was very obvious from Deeks' behavior that he was having a difficult time with whatever else had happened out there. She didn't want to pry too deeply, at least not until after his surgery.

xxxxx

Kensi, Eric and Nell quietly reentered the hospital room and Kensi immediately went to Deeks' side. "Hey baby," she whispered as she leaned down and kissed his cheek. "I brought you a burger."

Deeks sighed. "I told you I didn't want anything, Kens…"

"I know," Kensi replied. "I just thought maybe you'd change your mind? The food in the cafeteria is surprisingly good for hospital food."

Deeks didn't really want it, but the look of sadness and concern on Kensi's face got to him and he didn't have the heart not to at least try to eat some of it. "Thanks…I'll try it." The smile on Kensi's face when he took a bite made his effort worth it. "You're right…this is pretty good…for hospital food."

Eric and Nell had delivered food to Sam as Hetty had requested and had also brought back tea and a sandwich for Hetty. "They also have these to die for chocolate chip cookies down there," Eric said. "We brought you guys some of those as well." He placed a brown paper bag down on the nightstand next to Callen's bed.

"Thanks," Sam said as he took a bite of the turkey sandwich, deciding to forego the salad for the time being. What he really wanted was to see his partner eating, but knew that was not much of a possibility at the moment.

Hetty watched Sam and Deeks and was satisfied that they were at least attempting to eat. She then turned to Nell and Eric. "Mr. Beale, Miss Jones, I think the two of you would be well served by heading home and getting some much deserved rest. You've been exceedingly helpful today and I appreciate the work that you have done."

"Are you sure, Hetty?" Nell asked. "There's nothing else you need?"

Hetty shook her head and smiled. "No dear, I'm fine for right now."

"You're not going to stay here all night, are you?" Eric asked.

Hetty shook her head again. "I'd just like to see if I can witness Mr. Callen with his eyes open before I leave. It would do my heart good to see that. Then I'll head home as well."

"Okay, well you know where we are if you need anything at all," Eric said, turning to the others in the room. "Anything guys, okay?"

Sam nodded as he went over to Eric and shook his hand. "Thanks for everything you've done today, Eric. I appreciate what you've done for G."

"I'd do anything for you guys, Sam," Eric said, looking a little embarrassed at the praise. "Anyhow, keep us posted."

"We will," Hetty promised.

xxxxx

"You've had enough?" Kensi asked Deeks who had pushed aside the partly eaten burger. He hadn't eaten as much as she had hoped for, but at least it was something.

Deeks nodded. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm just not all that hungry."

"It's okay, I understand." Kensi smiled at him as she lovingly pushed his hair back from his face. "Is there anything I can get for you? Maybe another pillow or blanket?"

"No…you don't need to wait on me, Kens. You should probably get home and get some rest." The words were said without emotion and Kensi looked back at him contemplatively, knowing he didn't mean what he said.

"I'm not leaving, Deeks," she said. "I'm going to stay right here with you." She wanted to say more, but she could see Hetty was watching and listening with more than just passing interest. She had no idea what Sam and Deeks might have said while she was at the cafeteria with Eric and Nell, but she didn't want to say anything that might upset him.

"You don't have to…" Deeks said, his eyes suddenly filling with tears. "I'm going to get some sleep." He turned away from her awkwardly and closed his eyes, not wanting to talk. More than anything, he just wanted to be alone. Now he felt like he had an audience who wanted to discuss things that he had absolutely no intention of discussing.

Kensi watched him and gently rubbed his back, feeling helpless and wishing there was some way she could protect him from the demons that were eating him up inside.

xxxxx

The reemergence of the headache woke Callen from his morphine-induced slumber and he moaned softly as he struggled to open his eyes. As before, he immediately felt everything lurching crazily. He clutched the blankets tightly and quickly reclosed his eyes, feeling as if he was going to tumble right off the bed.

"G? Hey buddy can you open your eyes for me?"

"No," Callen whispered. "Dizzy."

"Do you still have the headache?" Even as he asked the question, Sam already knew the answer.

"Yes…"

"Mr. Callen?" Hetty took Callen's hand and rubbed the top of it soothingly. "We got the antidote. I know you're not feeling better yet, but we hope it won't be too long before you do."

"Hi, Hetty." Callen opened his eyes partway and managed a forced smile before he quickly shut them again when he experienced the dizziness once more.

"I'm going to get the doctor," Sam mouthed to Hetty who nodded. Sam then walked out to the nurse's station to if someone could get Dr. Carlisle to come take a look at Callen.

"Why don't I go get you a cool compress," Hetty said gently.

Kensi, who had been looking, on quickly got to her feet. "I'll get it, Hetty," she said as she quickly headed to the bathroom. When she returned, a couple of minutes later, she gently placed the cold compress on Callen's forehead.

"Thanks, Kens," Callen said. He was trying to breathe through the pain, thinking that maybe taking long deep breaths would help him focus on something else, but it really wasn't working.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Hetty asked, looking at him worriedly. She didn't like seeing him so vulnerable and she knew it wasn't anything he wanted her to witness either. Not too long after she had taken him in, he'd been ill with a bad flu and he hadn't wanted her to do anything for him, looking very uncomfortable whenever she had done the simplest things for him. Finally, he had begun to accept her help and she had seen the appreciation in his eyes. She knew though, just from his reactions, that he must have received very little comfort as a young child, if he received any at all. It broke her heart when she thought of the things he might have endured with no one to help him through them and she had wondered many times whether he had ever received a kind word or a warm hug.

"I'm good, Hetty," Callen stated.

At that moment, Dr. Carlisle came into the room with Sam. "G, the doctor is here," Sam said to his friend.

"I'm just going to do a quick neuro check on you," Dr. Carlisle said. He then proceeded to examine Callen as his friends looked on. "Okay…I'm going to start you on a morphine drip to try to get a handle on the pain you're experiencing. I suspect this headache and dizziness are bad side effects to the drugs you were given. Hopefully, they won't last too long. We'll see how you do and if your pain doesn't subside, I'll send you for a head CT, just as a precaution. In the meantime, I'm going to order some blood work to see if any of your numbers have improved, although it may be too soon for that. Any questions?"

"No. Thanks, doctor," Callen said, his face drawn with pain and his voice only a little bit louder than a whisper.

"You're welcome…I'm going to do the best I can to have you feeling better very soon." Dr. Carlisle then smiled reassuringly at Hetty and the team and headed out of the room.


	33. Chapter 33

_Thanks to those of you still reading and reviewing this story. I really do appreciate it. Just a warning, this is not a particularly happy chapter._

xxxxx

Callen awoke abruptly and struggled to sit up. He was pale and panting slightly, his face covered with a sheen of perspiration.

"What is it, G?" Sam asked. It was 3 a.m. and he was sitting by his partner's bedside, watching him with concern. The reclining chair wasn't that uncomfortable, but Sam had found himself unable to sleep, consumed with worry about his friend's condition. Callen had been sleeping restlessly, tossing and turning and murmuring, sometimes crying in his sleep.

"I…I think I'm going to be sick," Callen replied, his hands pressed against his abdomen.

Sam swiftly opened the drawer of Callen's nightstand and pulled out a basin then shoved it in front of his partner right before he started to heave. Nothing came up though and the only thing Callen accomplished was causing pain to shoot through his already injured ribs. Finally, the dry heaves stopped and Callen collapsed back down to the pillows, exhausted. "I don't think this antidote is helping," he murmured, his eyes dark and bleak.

"Don't think that way, buddy," Sam said softly. "It hasn't been that long yet. You need to give it a chance."

"I understand that I might not feel better that quickly, but I shouldn't be feeling worse," Callen stated. "Something's wrong, Sam…I can feel it."

Sam was about to contradict Callen, but he found himself unable to do it. In all honesty, he had hoped for the smallest bit of improvement by now, but as Callen said, he just seemed to be getting worse.

"Try to sleep, G," Sam said gently. "Sleep and hopefully you'll feel a lot better in the morning."

Callen gazed at his partner for a long moment and then nodded and closed his eyes. He really hoped that Sam was right, but there was something inside of him which was telling him just the opposite.

Sam watched as Callen tried to settle himself down. Gradually, the pattern of his breathing evolved into a soft, steady rhythm, letting Sam know his friend was asleep. He looked across the room where Deeks laid sleeping and he shared a sad look with Kensi who was performing the same bedside vigil that he was. All he wanted was for G and Deeks to recover so that they could go home then hopefully they could all start the long process of putting what had happened behind them.

xxxxx

At a little after 6:30, Dr. Carlisle walked into the room. "Good morning," he said quietly to Sam. "Has there been any improvement?"

Sam shook his head. "He claims he's feeling worse."

Upon hearing that, the concern in the doctor's eyes mirrored Sam's. "Mr. Callen? Can you wake up for me?"

Callen stirred and finally managed to look up at the doctor bleary-eyed.

"How are you feeling today?" Dr. Carlisle asked as he looked at his patient's chart.

"Honestly, not so great, doc," Callen replied. Usually he would 'I'm fine' the medical staff to death, but he knew he wasn't fine and honestly was getting increasingly anxious about the way he felt.

"How's the headache?"

Callen shrugged. "I don't know. I feel okay right now, but the morphine is probably masking it." He felt sluggish and light-headed. At this point, he had no idea where his real feelings ended and the various effects of the drugs that were in his system began.

Dr. Carlisle nodded. "We'll wean you off it and see how you do. Let me check your grip strength. I want you to squeeze my hand as hard as you can."

Callen did as the doctor asked and he could tell that the result was less than impressive as he weakly squeezed Dr. Carlisle's hand.

"Okay, anything else I should know about?"

When Callen didn't answer, Sam interjected. "He's been nauseous. Had dry heaves a few times during the night."

"How do you feel now?" the doctor asked him.

Callen shrugged. "Not good. I don't understand…shouldn't the antidote be helping by now?"

"Sometimes these things take time," Dr. Carlisle answered vaguely. "We don't have much knowledge of the poison that was given to you. Is it possible I could talk to the person who developed it?" he asked, his eyes on Sam.

Sam nodded. "I'm sure that he was taken into custody. I can see if he can be brought here today." He'd have to find out from Hetty where he was. He wasn't even sure of the guy's name. Albert Harvey or Garvey or something like that. He didn't remember.

"Okay, have me paged when that happens. I'd like to try to get a better idea of what we're dealing with." He turned to Callen. "I'll have the nurse bring you something to settle your stomach. Get some rest, Mr. Callen and try not to worry."

Callen nodded and watched as Dr. Carlisle left the room. He knew there were no guarantees with this and the doctor's words did nothing to make him feel better about any of it. He closed his eyes and allowed the effects of the morphine to pull him under once again. He wasn't really looking forward to being weaned off it, if it meant the return of the brutal headache pain he had been experiencing. At the moment, a drug-induced sleep was the only safe haven he had from what was ailing him.

xxxxx

Kensi and Deeks had tried their best not to invade Callen's privacy, but with the size of the room, it was pretty much impossible not to have heard every word. "How are you feeling?" Kensi asked Deeks. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

"I'm good, Kens…" Deeks replied. He glanced over at Callen who was curled up with his eyes closed once again. "Better than him…"

"He'll be okay," Kensi said, trying to reassure herself and not just Deeks.

"Good morning, guys," Sam greeted them softly as he came over to their side of the room. "I'm going to get some breakfast and coffee. Can I get you anything?"

"Sam, you look like crap," Deeks observed, looking at the other man closely.

"He's right," Kensi agreed. "Why don't you go home and get a few hours of sleep and take a shower? I bet it would make a world of difference."

Sam quickly shook his head. "No, coffee and breakfast is all that I need. You guys want something?"

"Coffee would be heavenly," Kensi said.

Deeks nodded his head in agreement. "For me too."

"That's all, just coffee?" Sam asked. "Aren't you guys hungry?"

Just then, a doctor entered the room. "I'm Dr. Bolton," he said as he walked over to Deeks' bedside. "I'm the surgeon assigned to your case." He looked over Deeks' chart and nodded as he read the notations. "Looking good, looking good," he said. "No coffee or food for you. Did you have anything to eat or drink after midnight?"

Deeks shook his head, looking slightly anxious. "Very good," Dr. Bolton said with a terse smile. "You're not running a fever and your vitals are good. I think now is as good a time as any to get that bullet out of your shoulder. I'll schedule a time for sometime this morning or early this afternoon. Someone will be in to let you know when you'll be taken to the surgical suite. Any questions?"

"Uh…no, I can't think of any," Deeks replied.

"Okay then, I'll see you again a little later. Now remember, nothing to eat or drink. Good day." He nodded and headed out of the room, walking at a clipped pace.

"He seems…efficient," Kensi said for lack of anything else to say. She turned to Sam. "I think I'll pass on the coffee, Sam."

"Please get the coffee, Kens," Deeks said as he leaned his head back against the pillows and stared up at the ceiling. "I don't really want it anyhow."

"I'm actually going to wait a little while before going down," Sam said as he glanced over at his sleeping partner. "I don't want to leave G."

"We're right here for him, Sam," Deeks said. "Seriously, guys, get the coffee. It's the last thing I want now anyway."

"Don't worry, sweetheart," Kensi said, giving him a heartfelt look. "I'm sure everything is going to be just fine."

"I'm not worried," Deeks said, not particularly convincingly.

"No one likes surgery, Deeks," Sam said, "but you'll be okay." He ran his hand over his face and shook his head. Already this day seemed interminable and it really hadn't even started yet. "I'll leave you two alone. Let me know if you need anything." He then walked back to the chair by Callen's bed and sat back down, the worries in his mind seeming to multiply by the second.

xxxxx

"Would you like to watch some television?" Kensi asked Deeks. The two had mostly been sitting in silence since the doctor left.

"You can if you want," Deeks said. He found that since the doctor's visit, his mind was going down dark paths. He'd known the bullet was going to have to be removed, but he had allowed himself to put that thought into the back of his mind. Now with the surgery looming, his nerves were frazzled.

"Deeks, why are you so worried?" Kensi asked gently. "You've had surgery before. You've never had problems."

"Who said I was worried?" He didn't meet her eyes as he fidgeted with his blanket.

"I know you. I can tell when you're worried and that expression on your face isn't a happy one."

"I'm just tired, Kens. Speaking of which, you must be too. You should go home and get some rest."

Kensi shook her head. "I'm not leaving you now. I'll be here when they take you down and I'll be here when you come out of surgery." She smiled gently as she cupped his cheek with her hand and gazed into his eyes. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

"I would never want to get rid of you…I just…I don't know why you even want to stay with me…" His eyes were sad and mournful.

"The way you stayed with me after the helicopter crash? The way you stuck with me no matter how many times I tried to push you away? How can you even ask me that?" She was worried about him. She was pretty sure his thoughts were going places where she couldn't follow unless he let her in and he didn't seem very inclined to do that.

"I just…" He sighed as he stared down at his bed. "Never mind."

Kensi stared back at him, wishing she could find a way to help him. She knew that what he had been forced to do to her was eating at him, but her hope was he wouldn't ask to see whatever damage he had inflicted and her back would be well on its way to healing before that happened. It seemed like it was more than just that though. Not that she could blame him. With all that they had been through, it seemed like it would be easy to allow one's thoughts to go on a downward spiral.

"I think I'm going to try to rest before the surgery," Deeks said. He forced an unconvincing smile at her then turned away from her as he pretended to go to sleep. It seemed he was practicing this more and more in order to avoid any kind of meaningful conversation.

Kensi continued to watch him, her eyes filled with sadness. She wished there was some way she could make him feel better, but she really had no idea how to accomplish that.

xxxxx

Sooner than expected, the transport team came to bring Deeks to Surgery. Kensi accompanied him, wanting to stay with her fiancé for as long as she'd be allowed. Callen and Sam were left alone. "You should go home and get some rest." Callen tried once again to get his partner to leave the hospital.

"I will," Sam said, but Callen could tell he didn't mean what he was saying.

"You really should go." Callen shifted around uncomfortably on the bed. The headache symptoms were starting to return with a vengeance.

"G?" Sam asked, noting that his partner appeared to be in some distress. "What is it?"

"Headache's coming back," Callen said. His dose of morphine had been lowered and it was apparent that he was still suffering the effects of whatever poison was in his system. He was beginning to wonder if he was going to suffer a long, drawn out death. It would be just like Bart to make sure something like that happened to him. "I think Bart wanted to make sure I'd suffer," he said, staring at his partner through blue eyes filled with pain. "I think I got the antidote too late."

Sam considered Callen's words and became more and more anxious as a new thought entered his mind. Did they actually have a true antidote? He tried not to let his mind go in that direction, but he was starting to wonder.

"What is it?" Callen asked, noting the instant his partner's expression changed.

Sam shook his head quickly. "Nothing, G."

Callen was about to question his partner further when Dr. Carlisle entered the room, a grim expression on his face. Callen and Sam exchanged a long look and then braced themselves for what they knew was not going to be good news. "There's no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to say it," the doctor said, glancing at Sam but then focusing his gaze on Callen. "I had the lab analyze the contents of the supposed antidote and… it's not an antidote. The ingredients it contains are nothing that can help you. I'm very sorry."

Callen stared back at the doctor as he tried to process this newest bit of information. One part of him was shocked, but the other, larger part of him wasn't surprised at all. Bart had wanted him dead and now he was going to get his wish. "I guess that's it then," he finally said softly.

"No it's not," Sam spoke quickly, his voice louder than he realized in the small room. "You're not giving up that easily G. No one is giving up." He looked over at Dr. Carlisle. "Tell him," he demanded. "Tell him you're not giving up."

"Of course we're not giving up," The doctor said. "I just… I had to let you know…" He looked at Sam. "It's important to get in touch with that scientist if you can make it happen."

Sam nodded. He knew Hetty would be coming to the hospital, likely soon, but time was running out. "I'll call Hetty."

The doctor nodded, recognizing the lines of pain on Callen's face. "I'm going to have your morphine dose raised back up again. No reason for you to be suffering."

Callen just nodded. He wasn't a big fan of being drugged up, but in this case, he wasn't going to fight it. The pain was just too intense. Dr. Carlisle went to leave the room and then turned back to the two men who he had just devastated with his news. "The people in the lab are still working on trying to develop something to help you, so…there's always hope…"

Callen nodded silently and Sam's eyes brimmed with tears, not knowing what to do with the emotions that were suddenly overwhelming him. He put his hand on Callen's shoulder in a silent show of support and picked up his cell phone to call Hetty.


	34. Chapter 34

_I'm really sorry about not updating in so long. I've been so out of the loop of the fanfiction world, woefully behind in reading and writing. So many of you have been asking about this story though that I decided to try and work out some kind of a chapter. I'm still really unsure of my writing, but hopefully with time, things will get better. Thanks so much for your comments and support._

xxxxx

"What do you mean he's gone?" Hetty snapped into her cell phone, which she was holding with a white knuckled grasp. "How can he be gone?" Hetty listened briefly to the person on the other end of the line before speaking again. "This is inexcusable, Robert. I demand you find out what happened and try to track him down. I don't think I need to reiterate that the situation is critical." Without waiting for a response, Hetty clicked off her phone and sighed heavily. This wasn't good…it wasn't good at all.

xxxxx

Nell stood in the doorway of the small surgical waiting area, silently watching Kensi. The other woman looked sad and very much alone. She was obviously lost in her thoughts as she was unaware of Nell's presence. Finally, Nell cleared her throat softly and walked into the room. "Hey Kens, how are you?" she asked.

"Nell!" Kensi's eyes lit up as Nell came over to her and the two women warmly embraced. "It's so good to see you."

"We were so worried," Nell said as she took a seat next to Kensi. "How are you doing?"

"I…" Kensi shook her head. "I honestly don't even know right now. Everything has been so messed up and it really doesn't seem to be much better except for the fact that we got away from that madman."

Nell nodded slowly, her eyes full of emotion. "I can't even begin to imagine what you went through. It must have been horrible…"

"How did you know I was here?" Kensi asked, not yet willing to delve into the horrors of what had happened at the hands of Bart.

"Hetty."

"Did she say how Callen was?"

Nell sighed. "He's not doing very well at the moment. Evidently, the antidote was a fake. Hetty sounded really upset. She usually doesn't express her emotions like that."

"A fake?" Kensi asked in disbelief. She then took a few moments to digest this latest bit of unwelcome news before speaking again. "Well, she is really close to Callen…and I imagine she feels somewhat responsible because it was Bart who did all this."

"But it wasn't Hetty's fault," Nell defended.

"Of course it wasn't," Kensi said quickly, "we all know that, but, I'm sure she still feels responsible nevertheless."

"Well, when Callen gets better, he can talk to her and make her realize it's not her fault."

Kensi nodded, but she didn't verbalize her thoughts of what would happen if Callen didn't get better. She couldn't begin to imagine how Hetty would be then, not to mention the rest of them. It wasn't anything she even wanted to think about.

xxxxx

Sam sat next to his sleeping partner trying to fight against the hopeless feeling that he'd had ever since the doctor had given them the news that they didn't have a true antidote. G's oxygen level had dropped and he was now on nasal O2. "I don't even know what to say, buddy," Sam said softly. "I'd like to tell you to fight, but I already know you're fighting as hard as you can." When he'd thought Callen had been killed by the river, it had been the worst pain he'd ever felt except for when Michelle had been murdered. Then he'd found out G was alive, but he'd been forced to suffer constantly at Bart's hands and now...now, the more time that went on without an antidote, the greater the possibility was that his best friend wasn't going to make it. Sam wasn't at all sure he would be able to cope with it if that was the case.

xxxxx

"Is there something I can get for you? Maybe something to eat or drink?" Nell asked. She and Kensi had been sitting together, mostly just quietly, but she knew Kensi appreciated her presence.

"I'm fine, Nell. Thanks," Kensi said with a faint smile.

Nell nodded and there was silence once more before she spoke again. "If there's anything you want to talk about...I'm a pretty good listener."

Kensi sighed as she looked at the other woman. "I wouldn't even know where to begin," she admitted.

"Well, you don't have to talk about it," Nell said, "but just know that I'm here for you if you'd like to…"

"There's just so much…" Kensi began, biting her lip, her thoughts going in a million different directions. "So many things happened…"

"Eric and I went to the campsite," Nell said, thinking back. "Just being there gave me the creeps...I can't even imagine what you all went through."

"One of the worst things was Bart withholding food and water from Callen while the rest of us had to eat and drink in front of him...we knew he was suffering and there was nothing we could do to help him…"

"I can't imagine how awful that was," Nell said, barely holding back tears.

"And then Deeks…"

Nell nodded. "It must have been horrible when he was shot."

"It was," Kensi nodded in agreement, "but…" She hesitated, inwardly debating whether or not she wanted to discuss what Deeks had been forced to do to her. She was saved from making a decision though when the surgeon came into the waiting area.

"Is he okay?" Kensi asked anxiously as she got to her feet.

Dr. Bolton smiled at her, seeming much more human than he had when he had first met with Deeks. "He came through everything just fine. He's awake in recovery and will be transferred to a regular room soon. If you come with me, you can see him now."

Kensi looked back at Nell, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Go," Nell said, smiling, really glad that everything was okay with Deeks. "I'll catch up with you later."

"Thanks so much for staying with me," Kensi said. She then headed out with Dr. Bolton, eager to see for herself that Deeks was okay.

xxxxx

"Mr. Hanna?" Hetty quietly approached Callen's bedside where his partner was sitting faithfully as ever by his side. "Is there any change?"

Sam sighed heavily as he looked back at Hetty. "Not for the better, I'm afraid. He's just been sleeping. I know it's the best thing for him, but…" He didn't finish the sentence, unable to say out loud that he was afraid he'd never see his friend's eyes open again, that they'd never get another chance to talk or tease each other. He couldn't bear the thought of it.

Hetty looked back at Sam, seeing the pain in his eyes, not wanting to tell him what had occurred, but she knew she couldn't keep it from him either. "I called to see about getting Albert Garvey brought here, to try to get some information out of him about the antidote…"

"And?" Sam asked, his eyes quickly looking hopeful. "Is he here? I want to talk to him. We'll bring Dr. Carlisle in. Maybe between the three of us, we can get him to talk."

Hetty shook her head. "I'm afraid that's not going to happen, Mr. Hanna...not now, maybe not ever."

"What? Why not?"

"Because evidently he was released from custody. A lawyer claimed we had no basis to hold him on, which I suppose technically is true."

"He made a poison that could be killing G," Sam growled angrily. "That's okay?"

"Of course it's not okay, but he claimed to have no knowledge of what the poison was being used for, said he was just hired to work for Bart."

"But he didn't give us the real antidote," Sam said. "He knew it wasn't going to work. He knew that G…" Sam looked at his partner, his eyes filled with emotion and pain. G was still asleep or unconscious, Sam didn't even know which it was. "He knew G would die without it…"

"We're going to do everything we can to find Garvey," Hetty said. "I'll talk to Bart again maybe…"

"NO!" Sam said loudly. "I will talk to Bart, Hetty." He angrily got up from his chair and headed towards the door before looking back at Hetty and lowering his voice. "Stay here with G...I'll be back soon…"

xxxxx

"Hey baby." Kensi smiled as Deeks opened his eyes and looked at her drowsily. He had fallen back to sleep before she'd gone to see him and he was now in a room on the surgical floor. The doctors had insisted on that until he was 24 hours post-surgery.

"Hey Kens…" Deeks said, covering his mouth as he yawned. "Did everything go okay?"

"It did," Kensi said. "It went very well. You'll be home again before you know it."

"That's good…" he mumbled sleepily. His eyes slowly closed before they popped open again. "How's Callen doing?"

"He...he's holding his own," Kensi said, but her expression didn't support her words.

"How bad?" Deeks asked after a few moments of silence. "The antidote hasn't kicked in yet?"

Kensi slowly shook her head. "Nell said...the antidote wasn't real...it's not going to help him."

"Damn," Deeks said, appearing distressed at this latest bit of news. "I was really hoping that was the answer…"

"Me too," Kensi said. "But I don't want you to worry about this now, Deeks. You just got out of surgery. You need your rest. You know Callen. You know how strong he is."

Deeks nodded, but his thoughts were not optimistic. Callen might be strong, but even that wasn't enough to combat a poison meant to kill.

xxxxx

Sam tried to control his anger as he made his way to Bart's room. The last thing he needed was to get turned away before he even got there. When he reached the room, he was glad to see a friendly face. John Emerson, a stand-up agent and friend of the team's was standing guard outside Bart's room.

"Hey John," Sam said, stopping to greet his friend. "How are things going?"

John shrugged. "Quiet." His eyes were serious as he looked back at Sam. "How's Callen? I heard things weren't too good."

"They're not," Sam stated with a meaningful look at the closed door to Bart's room. "But I aim to change that if I can."

"Sam…" John said with a cautionary note in his voice. "I'll give you some leeway here, but be careful, okay?"

Sam nodded. "I won't do anything extreme...I just want to see if I can get some info out of him."

John nodded. "Okay. I'll take your word on that, Sam."

Sam smiled grimly and opened the door to Bart's room, closing it behind him. Bart's eyes opened when he heard the door to his room close and he stared back at Sam. "What are you doing here?" he asked with a sneer. "I thought you would be with your precious G...unless...is the battle finally over? Is your partner dead?"

"Where's Garvey?"

Bart smiled. "Albert? How on earth would I know? He hasn't even come to visit me. I must say, it's a bit rude of him."

"You know where he is," Sam said angrily. "Tell me."

"I have no idea where he is," Bart stated, the smile still on his lips. "It's not my fault if you lost him. You and your team aren't very good at what you do. You were pretty lousy game players as well. Pity. I expected much more, but one can't have everything, I suppose."

"You're a sick, twisted son of a bitch," Sam growled as he leaned down and put his face only inches from Bart. "You think you're so clever and funny, but I'll have you know…if G does die, there won't be a hole you can crawl into that's far enough or deep enough that I won't find you and kill you, slowly and torturously. I once made a mistake letting a piece of shit like you live. I won't make that mistake again."

Bart continued to grin, but now there was a bit of something else in his eyes which Sam was pretty sure was fear. "Careful, Agent Hanna," Bart said. "That could be considered a threat."

"Oh it is a threat," Sam whispered. "And one that I intend to carry out. You'd better hope my partner pulls through this hell you've put him through."

"You'll end up in prison," Bart said. "Your children won't have a mother or a father they can depend on."

Sam shook his head slowly. "That's not going to happen because I'm going to be very, very careful. And even if I'm not, I have plenty of friends who will be willing to look the other way, especially when they know what you did to our team. No one's going to care when I wipe a worthless scumbag like you from this planet. Remember that. Now I'll ask you one more time…Where the hell is Garvey?"

"I suspect he's gotten himself far, far away. If I was him, that's what I would do…and if I were you, I'd get back to my partner before he croaks."

Sam clenched his fists for a long moment as he stared back at Bart, then turned and stormed from the room, knowing that he was never going to help them and not wanting to be away from his partner for too long.

xxxxx

Sam met Dr. Carlisle outside the door to Callen's room. "Any change?" he asked.

"That's what I'm here to find out," Dr. Carlisle answered. Sam opened the door, allowing the doctor to go in ahead of him and the two approached Callen's bedside. Hetty looked up at Sam who shook his head grimly.

Dr. Carlisle walked over to Callen, looked at the monitor readings, then examined Callen. When he was done, he gently tried to awaken Callen. "Mr. Callen?" he called out. Callen remained still and apparently oblivious to the doctor's attempts to wake him. After determining that Callen was not going to respond, the doctor turned to Hetty and Sam.

"Well?" Sam asked.

Dr. Carlisle shook his head. "He's getting worse. I think it's time for a decision to be made."

"What kind of a decision?" Sam asked, having a hard time keeping his emotions under wraps.

"The lab has come up with a drug cocktail that could be helpful."

"Where is it?" Sam asked eagerly. "What are you waiting for?"

"I said could be helpful," Dr. Carlisle explained patiently. "There are no guarantees here. It might not help at all."

"I don't understand," Hetty said. "You said he's getting worse. Isn't a chance, no matter how small, better than no chance at all?"

The doctor nodded. "It is, but just understand there are no guarantees here… about possible positive or negative effects of the cocktail."

"What do you mean, negative?" Sam asked. He turned to gaze at his partner then sadly turned back to the doctor. "What can be worse than this?"

"There is a chance that the side effects could be bad...these are some very strong drugs. I just don't want you to be upset by what could happen."

"Try the drugs, doctor," Hetty said, her eyes filled with emotion as she gazed at Callen. "We need to give him a chance."

"All right… I'll go get the cocktail," Dr. Carlisle said. "I'll be right back."

Hetty and Sam watched as the doctor left the room then returned to keeping their vigil over Callen, each of them hoping and praying that this would prove to be the answer they were looking for.


	35. Chapter 35

_I always try to give warnings with particularly bad cliffhanger chapters and this is one of those. If you don't like this kind of thing, you know the drill. Stay away until the next chapter. I don't think I replied to reviews for the last chapter which I'm really, really sorry about. I really do appreciate all your reviews and comments though and the fact that you're still reading even with the delays I've had in posting. As always, thanks so much for your support._

xxxxx

Hetty sat with Sam as they quietly watched Callen sleep, waiting and hoping for some small change, any little telltale sign that would tell them that he was improving, that the makeshift antidote, such as it was, was helping him. It had been several hours since the drug cocktail had been administered and so far there was nothing except for the fact that Callen's temperature had been steadily climbing. Hetty looked over at Sam who appeared positively exhausted. However, she knew it was useless to try to get him to go home. He refused to leave Callen's side except for only very short periods. She did understand his refusal though. She knew that Sam was closer to Callen than anyone else, except for his family, and after what had happened to Michelle, she understood his strong desire to stay with Callen.

As much as she herself didn't want to leave Callen either, she was feeling very guilty about having neglected her two younger team members. She knew that she needed to visit with them and see how they were doing. "Mr. Hanna?" she asked softly.

"Yes, Hetty?" Sam asked, glancing over at her.

"I'm going to go pay a short visit to Mr. Deeks and Ms. Blye and see how they're doing. Can I bring you back anything?"

Sam slowly shook his head. "No thanks, Hetty. I'm good."

"Let me rephrase then," Hetty said patiently. "I'm going to get you something to eat. What is it that you would like?"

Sam sighed softly as he glanced at his partner. He couldn't help but wonder if Callen would ever get to eat another meal. He hated to think his last meal had been Bart's fiasco of a meal which he had given them before his damned hunt.

"Mr. Hanna? I'm waiting."

"I don't know...just get me a turkey club sandwich," Sam finally said. He didn't particularly want it, but he knew he needed to eat. In any case, he knew Hetty was unlikely to let it go.

Hetty nodded, glad that she had gotten some kind of an answer out of him. She would supplement his choice with some other items and hopefully get him to eat enough to keep up his strength. "I won't be long," she said softly, her eyes lingering on Callen once again. "Let me know if there is any change."

"I will," said said Sam. "Tell Kensi and Deeks I said hello and I'll be there to see them as soon as I can." He watched as Hetty headed out of the room and then focused his gaze back on his partner.

xxxxx

When Hetty arrived at Deeks' room, she paused in the doorway to observe Kensi who was reaching for her back underneath her shirt. Deeks was not presently in the room.

"Problem, Ms. Blye?" Hetty asked as she approached.

Kensi quickly pulled her hand out from underneath the back of her shirt and looked back at Hetty, with an almost guilty appearing expression on her face.

"Whatever is the matter?" Hetty asked. "Are you injured?"

"I…" appearing flustered, Kensi momentarily stumbled over her words, unsure of what to say. However, she was tired of trying to hide everything from everyone. She knew she could trust Hetty to keep what she was going to say confidential. "Yes...my back…"

"May I?" Hetty asked as she reached for Kensi's shirt. Kensi nodded and Hetty lifted the shirt and shook her head when she saw the damage which had been done to the previously unmarred skin on Kensi's back. "I suppose Bart did this?"

"In a manner of speaking…" Kensi said, hesitating. She then took a deep breath and finally forced the words out. "He...he forced Deeks to do it…"

"Oh dear," Hetty said, immediately concerned for Deeks' state of mind over being forced to do such a thing. She knew his history and had a good idea of some of the torturous thoughts he kept buried deep inside. "I can't imagine that Mr. Deeks has reacted well to this."

"No...no he hasn't," Kensi said, shaking her head.

"And where is he now?" Hetty asked.

"They had to run some tests. I don't think he'll be long."

Hetty nodded. "And has any treatment been prescribed for your back?"

"I have a prescription cream," Kensi said, staring down at the top of Deeks' empty bed.

"And have you been using it?"

Kensi was silent for a few long moments before shaking her head. "No...it isn't anything I can really do myself."

"Really, Ms. Blye?" Hetty asked. "I thought you would have had more sense. This is the kind of behavior I've come to expect of Mr. Callen, but I didn't think I would need to worry about you."

"I just...I've been so worried about Deeks...I guess it just slipped my mind…" Kensi knew it wasn't much of an excuse, but it was all she had. "Speaking of Callen, how is he?"

"The lab came up with some form of an antidote, but apparently there are a lot of risks associated with it and it's uncertain if it will even be of any help…"

"I really hope he'll be able to pull through this," Kensi said softly.

"As do I, Ms. Blye...as do I…" Hetty regarded Kensi thoughtfully. "Do you have this medicated cream with you? I'd be more than happy to treat your wounds."

"Thank you, Hetty… I'd appreciate that," Kensi said as she fumbled through the plastic bag of her belongings and pulled it out. "Let's go into the bathroom, just in case Deeks gets back. I don't really want him to see this yet."

xxxxx

Callen was writhing about fretfully on the bed as Sam watched him helplessly. "Get him away from me," Callen moaned. "Somebody...somebody help me…"

"Shhh...It's okay G," Sam said, placing a cold pack on his forehead. The nurse had brought some in earlier when Callen's temperature had started to elevate. "I'm right here. No one's going to hurt you, I promise."

Suddenly, Callen's eyes shot open and he looked first at Sam and then at an empty corner of the room. He struggled to sit up in bed, then moved closer to Sam. "S...Sam?" he said tremulously as his breathing became harsher and seemingly more labored. "Sam...get it out of here...please….kill it…"

Sam could see that his friend's heart rate was escalating from the monitor and he once more looked over at the corner of the room that Callen was focused on, even though he was relatively sure nothing was there. "What is it G?" he asked. "What are you looking at?"

"What am I looking at?" Callen asked, looking at his friend incredulously before he fixed his eyes back on the corner and whatever horror he was seeing there. "How could you possibly miss it Sam? It's three friggen feet tall. I've only seen spiders like that in horror movies. Do you have your weapon? You need to shoot it before it gets any closer. It's coming right at us!"

"G...G… there's nothing there," Sam said soothingly. "I promise you… it's just me and you here. This giant spider or whatever it is you're seeing, it's just a hallucination. It's not real."

Callen shook his head, his blue eyes filled with panic. "It is real. It's right there, clear as day. Please Sam...Please do something. I don't...I don't have my gun…"

Sam reached for his partner and attempted to pull him into his arms to try to calm him down, but Callen wanted no part of that. "What the hell are you doing, Sam?" he asked, pulling away. "A spider from hell is coming at us and you want to hug it out?"

"G, I told you, there's nothing there," Sam said, trying to keep his voice as steady and even as he could. "You know I wouldn't lie to you buddy. I'm telling you the truth. There's no spider there. It's all in your head."

"No, it's not," Callen said, shaking his head. Sam could see that his friend was weakening though and he once more attempted to pull him into his arms. "You're okay, G…" he said gently. "I'll keep you safe. I'm not going to let anything hurt you. I promise."

Callen made one more attempt to escape Sam's grasp, but it was a weak effort and he finally gave in and relaxed into his friend's embrace, as he allowed his eyes to close. "I trust you, Sam," he whispered. "I know you'll keep me safe…"

xxxxx

Deeks was slowly wheeled back into his room by a member of the transport team. "Do you need me to help you into bed?" the young man asked.

Deeks quickly shook his head. "No thanks, I'm good."

"Okay then, take it easy." The young man then left the room. Once he was left alone, Deeks couldn't help wondering where Kensi had gone off to. He knew she was much more tired than she was letting on, but he couldn't' imagine she would have gone home without telling him first. Maybe she had gone to get something to eat. After a couple of minutes, Deeks realized that nature was calling. He got up from the wheelchair and walked over to the bathroom, and opened the door. Not expecting anyone to be inside, he was totally shocked to see Hetty applying ointment to Kensi's back, which in his eyes, appeared horribly disfigured and he knew it was all because of him.

"Deeks!" Kensi turned and saw him as he backed out of the bathroom entrance, his face deathly pale. He then turned and headed out of the room. "Deeks! Come back here!" Kensi headed after him as Hetty watched in dismay. This day just seemed to be getting worse and worse.

xxxxx

Callen's brief bout of consciousness had given Sam a tiny burst of hope, even if his friend had been delirious with fever. At least his eyes had been open and he'd been talking. He explained what had happened to Dr. Carlisle who had been keeping a close watch over Callen. The doctor performed yet another exam and then turned to Sam with a grim expression on his face. "I'm afraid he's weakening," the doctor said in answer to Sam's unspoken question. "The antidote doesn't seem to be helping him. If there's anyone who should be here…"

Sam stared at the doctor as he tried to make sense out of what he was saying… "You're saying there's no hope? You...you mean to...to say goodbye?"

"I'm not saying there's no hope, Sam," Dr. Carlisle said gently. "But...things aren't looking good for him at the moment so…" He trailed off. This was the worst part of his job, the part of his job that he hated more than any other. He hated seeing the grief-stricken looks of friends and family members when they were being stripped of their last tiny bits of hope. He couldn't lie though. As hard as it was, he needed to be as honest as he could.

"I'll let everyone know," Sam said, his eyes filling with tears as he turned back to his partner, feeling totally unable to cope with what the doctor had just told him. He couldn't lose G, he just couldn't. He didn't know what he would do without him.


	36. Chapter 36

_I didn't expect to finish this until the weekend, but I got inspired after work today and didn't want to leave the cliffhanger for too long if I could help it. Anyhow, here's the next chapter. Hope you like it. Thanks so much for reading :)_

xxxx

"Deeks, stop!" Kensi called out as she chased him down the hallway. "You're going to hurt yourself. Don't make me call your doctor."

"Really?" Deeks stopped in his tracks and turned around, facing Kensi. There were tears running down his cheeks and whatever Kensi had been going to say flew out of her mind when she saw how upset he was. She approached him to fold him in an embrace, but he put out his arm, motioning her to keep her distance. "Don't."

Kensi stopped short, looking confused as she stared at him. "Why?"

Deeks shook his head. "I...just don't...you should leave Kensi...you should get away from me...far, far away. I'll go back to LAPD, whatever you want...anything to keep you safe."

"Deeks, please…We need to go somewhere private where we can talk... _ **really**_ talk." She couldn't help but notice that they were drawing stares from curious onlookers and she felt very uncomfortable to be having this conversation in the middle of a hospital hallway.

"I don't see that we have anything to talk about. My mom took years of abuse from my father. I won't let that happen to you."

"Deeks stop it!" Kensi snapped, her eyes flashing angrily. "You are _**not**_ your father. I know that you would never, ever willingly hurt me. This wasn't your fault. None of it was your fault."

Deeks shook his head, staring down at the floor, unable to meet her eyes. "I can't do this right now, Kensi. I...I need time. I need to be alone to think about all of this."

"Deeks…" Kensi stopped speaking with the sudden appearance of Hetty. The older woman looked very upset, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

"I am very sorry to interrupt," Hetty said. "But...I received a call from Mr. Hanna. It seems that Mr. Callen is not doing well at all. The doctor has suggested that we go to see him and...and prepare to say goodbye…"

"What?" Kensi shook her head and automatically reached for Deeks' hand which he took as he moved in closer to her.

"I'm going to go try to get in touch with his father and Alexandra. You should go now and see him. Sam...he's very upset…"

"We'll go now, Hetty," Deeks said, all thoughts of Kensi's back at least temporarily gone from his mind.

"Thank you," Hetty said softly. "I just...I just can't believe…" She trailed off as she turned and went on her way, looking very old and broken. Deeks and Kensi stared after her for a few long moments and then, hand in hand, began to walk towards Callen's room.

xxxxx

After Sam called Hetty, he sat next to his partner, and took G's hand, squeezing it gently, hoping to get some kind of a reaction. Callen, however, remained silent and still.

"Oh G…" Sam whispered, an almost desperate look in his eyes as he stared at his sleeping partner. "I'd give anything if you could just come back to us. I need you so much...all of us do and Hetty...I don't know what she'll do without you." He really wasn't sure that Hetty would be able to move past this, especially when her old friend had been the cause of Callen's troubles. As far as he was concerned, if Callen died, Bart was going to suffer the same fate. He hadn't been bluffing when he had threatened Bart's life. He had meant what he'd said. Bart didn't deserve to live after what he had done to Callen...after what he had done to all of them…

"Sam?" Kensi came into the room, followed by Deeks, then leaned down and gave Sam a tight hug. "I...I can't believe this is happening," she said tearfully.

"I can't either," Sam said returning her hug gratefully. "I really thought...I'd hoped…" Tears began flowing down his cheeks again as he once again lost control of his emotions.

Deeks squeezed Sam's shoulder, totally at a loss for words. The nightmare that had begun with an insane man named Bart never seemed to end. "I...I'll give you two some time alone with him," Sam said, giving one more sorrowful look at his partner. "If anything changes...I'll be right outside in the waiting room." He then quickly left the room, leaving Deeks and Kensi alone with Callen.

"How...how could this have happened?" Kensi asked, not even trying to hold back her tears now that Sam had left them alone. "We...we should have tried harder...we should have done better."

"Come on, Kens…" Deeks said, putting his arm around her shoulders and holding her close. "This isn't our fault...we did everything we could…" Even as he spoke the words though, he was filled with doubts. Had they done everything they could have? They shouldn't have waited so long to make a move. If they had done it sooner, the poison wouldn't even have been a part of Bart's ridiculous game. They'd played it and Callen had ended up the big loser, although he supposed they all had lost. He knew Sam would never get over what had happened...he didn't know if any of them would. He watched as Kensi went over to Callen and took his hand.

"I...I used to love when you called me your favorite agent," Kensi began tremulously. "Even though you don't really do it anymore, I knew it was still true. I mean I'm not counting Sam, because he's your partner and that's different, but we were always such good friends and I...I had hoped you would walk me down the aisle because Granger…" A fresh onslaught of tears overwhelmed her and she turned back to Deeks, burying her face against his chest. Deeks gently stroked her hair, afraid to touch her back because of her wounds. They stood silently for a few long minutes, just watching Callen and listening to the beeping and whirring sounds of the monitors. Finally, Deeks moved towards him and took his hand as Kensi had before.

"I know it's nothing we ever really talked about, but...I really respected you, Callen, and I like to think that we were more than teammates, that we were friends. I...I'm sorry for some of the stuff I said to you after Bart captured us. I was just frustrated and… well, I didn't really mean any of it."

"He knows you didn't mean it, Deeks," Kensi whispered as she took his free hand. "And you are his friend."

Deeks nodded and bowed his head as a few tears finally slipped from his blue eyes. "This really sucks...it shouldn't have ended this way…"

xxxxx

"Sam?" Hetty found him alone in the waiting chair, his elbows resting on his knees as he stared down at the floor. He looked up when he heard her voice and she was instantly struck by how forlorn he looked.

"I tried to get hold of Garrison and Alexandra...but I had no luck…"

"Bastard," Sam muttered under his breath.

"I'm sure he would have come if he knew," Hetty said softly.

"Really?" Sam asked loudly, his anger momentarily overtaking his sadness. "And how would you know that? He hasn't done a damn thing for G since he came back into his life. G never talked about it, but I knew how disappointed he must have been. He spent his life looking for this guy...for a piece of the family he never had and for what?"

"He found his half-sister," Hetty said evenly, trying to calm Sam down. "And a nephew…"

Sam shook his head, his anger deflated as he leaned his head back against the wall. "And a lot of good that did him. Where are they now? Who knows. They're probably off at Disneyland, having a grand old time for themselves while G is lying here dying. Some father...some family…"

Hetty was going to try to defend them, but at the moment, she knew that would be of no help to Sam. His emotions were everywhere and it was better that he express them than to keep them buried inside. "I'm going to go see him now…" she said, putting her hand on Sam's shoulder and patting it gently. "Would you like to come with me?"

Sam slowly shook his head. "Why don't you take some time to yourself with him. I'll go in after you."

"Alright." Hetty gave Sam another long look, but she didn't have the words to comfort him. She wasn't quite sure how she was going to get through this herself.

xxxxx

Kensi and Deeks both turned when the door to the room opened and Hetty stepped inside. Hetty could see the emotion on the faces of both her younger agents and it broke her heart. After what they had gone through, she knew her team was likely irreparably broken. "Sam is out in the waiting room," Hetty said to them. "Perhaps you could stay with him for a little while?"

"Of course, Hetty," Kensi said as Deeks nodded.

Hetty watched as they left the room and then she made her way to Callen's bedside, the tears pooling in her eyes and beginning their descent down her cheeks. She took his hand between her two small hands and sat in the chair by his bed. "They say the hardest thing is to lose a child," she said softly. "I have to say, I truly believe that is the case. I know we never really talked about it, but I'm pretty sure you know the way I feel about you...at least I hope you do. When you first came into my life, we both had a lot of adjusting to do." She smiled through her tears, remembering back to the first days of their life together. "You were so suspicious back then, a trait of yours that you never really overcame, but...I know I gave you reasons to be suspicious. I do regret some of the secrets I kept from you, but in your heart, I hope you know, I was only trying to protect you."

She sighed heavily, her thoughts going to Bart...the reason for all of this pain and suffering. "You'll never know how much I regret bringing Bart into your life. I never could have imagined…" She trailed off, a hitch in her voice. "I never could have imagined the pure evilness of that man, to have planned and schemed for so long to hurt you, just so he could hurt me. Well...he definitely found a way to succeed. My heart is broken and I...I'll never be able to forgive myself for any of this…for what he did to the others...for what he did to you…"

"It's not your fault, Hetty…" Sam said as he walked into the room and came up behind Hetty. "G...G would never want you to blame yourself. He loved you, Hetty. When he thought he was going to get blown up, he wanted me to tell how he felt about you. It was really important to him."

"Funny how we often don't talk about our feelings until the end is near or it's too late…" Sam just nodded, his eyes back on his partner. "Why don't you take a little time," Hetty suggested as she got up out of her chair. "I'll be in the waiting room."

Sam nodded gratefully and sat down in the chair Hetty had just vacated. He sat for a few minutes, just staring at his partner as memories of Callen flashed through his mind. "I don't really know how to do this…" he finally said. "Say goodbye to you...I don't want to, but...I know how hard you fought and I'm not going to ask you to fight anymore. I'm just sorry I didn't find a way to protect you. I'm your partner and I should have had your back. I just wish…" He stopped and watched Callen's chest as it rose and fell, knowing it wouldn't be doing that for much longer. Once again, he couldn't hold back his emotions and the tears filled his eyes. "I just wish we had more time…" With Callen gone, he knew he would be resigning from NCIS for good. He couldn't imagine starting over with a new partner. He didn't have it in him to do it again, especially when the end could hurt so badly. He never wanted to experience this kind of pain again, not if he could help it.

"I love you G...and I'm so sorry...I'm just so damn sorry…" Sam then laid his head on his partner's chest and began to sob heavily. First Michelle and now G. It was so unfair. He couldn't help but think that he had done something truly horrible to be punished so brutally. Once he really started to sob, he couldn't stop and he didn't even care who saw him or heard him. Finally, he felt a hand rest comfortingly on his shoulder. He vaguely wondered which one of his team members was there, but he didn't look, not until he heard the voice.

"Sam? You're getting me all wet…"

Shocked, Sam lifted his head and his eyes met the blue-eyed gaze of his drowsy-appearing but unmistakenly awake partner.


	37. Chapter 37

_Thanks so much to those of you who are still reading and reviewing this story. Little by little, I'm feeling more myself and starting to get my confidence back again, at least with this story. I really appreciate all of you sticking with me :)_

xxxxx

"G?" Sam sat up and stared at his partner, afraid to believe what his own eyes were seeing. "You're awake?"

"Yeah, I'm awake, Sam." Callen's voice was hoarse and he coughed then tried to clear his throat.

Sam grabbed for the call button and when the nurse came into the room, he yelled at her to get Dr. Carlisle in there right away. She gave Sam a startled look and scurried from the room.

"Sam...you need...to calm down," Callen said with a slight smirk. "You can't be scaring the life out of the medical staff."

"Sorry," Sam said, looking slightly abashed.

"It's okay. Can...can I have some water?"

Sam nodded, but then reconsidered, not wanting to do anything that could possibly hurt his partner. "The doctor should be here soon, G. I just want to make sure it's okay first."

"Okay…" Callen shifted his body under the covers, trying to find a comfortable position. "Can you raise the bed so I can sit up?"

"Sure, buddy," Sam said as he quickly moved to do what his partner had requested. "You good?"

"Yeah, thanks, Sam," Callen said, nodding. He then looked at his partner with a question in his eyes. "I feel better...did they finally get the antidote?"

Sam smiled on hearing Callen say that he felt better. Those were the best words he could have possibly imagined. "You were running out of time so the lab here came up with a trial antidote. Dr. Carlisle really didn't seem all that optimistic though, but we had to try something. You weren't doing well, G...I really thought…" He shook his head, not able to go on. "Anyhow...none of that matters now…" At least he hoped that was the truth. He was afraid to trust what he was seeing and hearing. He prayed this wasn't some sort of a tease, that Callen wasn't going to suddenly lose consciousness again or worse. He knew he ought to go out and tell the others what was going on, but he was hesitant to leave. He was afraid to come back into the room and find that this had all been a figment of his imagination.

"Sam?" Dr. Carlisle came rushing into the room and stopped short when he saw Callen awake and sitting up in bed. "Well, well...you're certainly full of surprises, Mr. Callen. How are you feeling?"

"Good," Callen answered quickly, but then reconsidered his answer. "I mean, I'm not up to running marathons or anything like that, but I'm definitely feeling better than I was."

Dr. Carlisle nodded. "Well, I have to say, you look much better than the last time I saw you." He looked over at the monitors and was encouraged to see Callen's vital signs much improved and his temperature had dropped. "Why don't I take a look at you and we'll see how you're doing."

"Should I leave?" Sam asked reluctantly.

"You can stay, Sam," Callen said. Sam's anxiety was very clear to Callen and he didn't want to cause his friend any more distress.

Dr. Carlisle carefully performed an exam on Callen and then made a few notations on Callen's chart. "You seem to be doing very well," he said. "We'll keep a close watch on you today and tonight and if things remain the same, we'll get you out of the ICU tomorrow. Sound good?"

Callen nodded, smiling. "Sounds very good. When do you think I can get out of the hospital?"

"One thing at a time," Dr. Carlisle said with a chuckle.

"He wanted some water," Sam said. "Is that okay?"

"That's fine," the doctor answered. "Whatever you think you can tolerate to eat and drink should be okay. Don't be surprised if you don't have much of an appetite though. Your body has gone through a lot. Don't push yourself. We can give you nutritional supplements if you don't feel up to eating."

"Okay, thanks, Doc." Callen said.

"No problem. I'm very glad to see you doing so well." He looked at Sam. "Why don't I go out and tell the others what's going on with him. I'll send a nurse in with a fresh pitcher of ice water as well"

Sam nodded. "Thanks...I'd appreciate that."

"I'm also going to order some blood work."

The doctor then left the room and Sam looked back at his partner, smiling broadly. "So, G...I guess you managed to beat Bart and his crazy game after all."

"Yeah, I guess so," Callen said. "Where is he anyway?"

"He's still here in the hospital, but he's cuffed to the bed and under guard. He won't be bothering you. In any case, I'll be staying here with you just to make sure you're safe."

Callen shook his head. "You don't need to stay here, Sam. I don't think I need to be worrying about Bart. Anyhow, I can take care of myself."

"Well, I'm not taking any chances, especially if he finds out you're doing better." Sam chose not to debate Callen's physical abilities at the moment, knowing he was still very much in a weakened state. He was pretty sure that Bart wouldn't take that news of his partner's improvement very well. He relished the idea of telling the man that G had beaten him, but not until he was ready to leave the hospital and able to fend for himself.

xxxxx

"Deeks...are you okay?" Kensi was sitting in the waiting room with Deeks and Hetty, but she couldn't help but notice that Deeks was pale and appeared to be in some pain.

"Yeah, I'm fine, baby," Deeks said, forcing a smile which didn't appear to be at all genuine.

The exchange caught Hetty's attention and she looked closely at the young detective. "You probably should be back in bed, Mr. Deeks," she said, before turning to Kensi. "Ms. Blye, why don't you get a wheelchair and escort Mr. Deeks back to his room. I'll keep you posted about Mr. Callen's condition."

Kensi looked at Deeks and back at Hetty, appearing distressed. "I...I don't think we should leave, Hetty. Not if…"

"You don't have to worry about me, Hetty," Deeks chimed in, sitting up straighter in his chair and trying to make himself more alert. He was mostly unsuccessful in his attempt though. There was no disguising his paleness and the dark hollows under his eyes.

Just then, Dr. Carlisle came into the waiting room. Callen's trio of friends looked anxiously at him, wondering if Callen had succumbed to the poison...but they appeared confused when Dr. Carlisle smiled brightly back at them.

"Has something changed?" Hetty asked, afraid to even hope that was the case.

"Mr. Callen is awake, alert and his vital signs are stabilizing dramatically," Dr. Carlisle replied. "He's made quite an amazing comeback."

"Really?" Kensi asked. When the doctor nodded, she threw her arms around Deeks and hugged him tightly. "I can't believe it. This is such good news."

"Can we see him?" Hetty asked, still keeping a tight rein on her emotions, afraid to believe any such good news until she had seen her boy for herself.

"Of course. You can go right in."

The three exchanged smiles and then headed into Callen's room to see for themselves how he was doing.

xxxxx

Hetty walked quietly into Callen's room, followed closely behind by Kensi and Deeks. She felt an intense surge of joy when Callen looked over at them and smiled. She approached his bed and hugged him gently. "You certainly threw a scare into us, Mr. Callen," she said, pulling away and smiling back at him.

"I'm sorry, Hetty. You know it wasn't intentional," Callen replied.

"I do know that," she said, squeezing his hand and stepping back so that Kensi and Deeks could approach him.

"Callen," Kensi leaned down and hugged him carefully. "I'm so happy to see those beautiful blue eyes of yours open again."

"Thanks, Kens," Callen said, smiling at her. "It's good to have them open."

"Hey man...I'm really glad you're doing better," Deeks said as he clasped Callen's hand then patted his shoulder. "You're looking much better."

"Thanks Deeks…" Callen was about to say that Deeks wasn't looking particularly great, but he decided to let the others deal with Deeks' medical condition.

At that moment, a nurse came into the room carrying a pitcher of water and a small stack of plastic cups. She put the pitcher on the tray and poured a cup of water for Callen then smiled at him. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No thanks," Callen said with a shake of his head.

"Okay, just press the call number if you need anything at all."

"Thank you," Callen said. The nurse smiled at him again and headed out of the room.

"You're going to have these nurses eating out of your hand," Deeks said, grinning at Callen.

Callen shrugged, a faint smile on his lips, but he didn't deny what Deeks had said.

"Speaking of nurses," Kensi began, looking back at Deeks. "I think it's time for you to get back to your room now, Deeks. I'm sure they need to check up on you. You've been gone for a while." She knew he needed his rest. She just hoped he wasn't ready to talk about her back quite yet. She didn't feel up to it herself and thought it would be better if they both rested before tackling that particular subject.

"I don't…" Deeks shook his head, but was interrupted by Hetty as soon as he started to speak.

"As Mr. Callen is doing better, I think Ms. Blye is right. Now you just need a wheelchair and you'll be good to go."

"I don't need a wheelchair," Deeks objected.

"I'll go get one," Sam said, ignoring Deeks. "Be right back."

"Am I invisible or something?" Deeks grumbled, but honestly, he knew his team was right. He just didn't like admitting it.

"You're definitely not invisible, baby," Kensi said as she brushed his hair away from his face lovingly. "We're just looking out for your best interests."

After only a few minutes, Sam came back into the room, pushing a wheelchair. "Your chariot awaits, Deeks."

Deeks rolled his eyes but didn't protest further as he sank into the wheelchair. "You'll let us know if anything changes?" Kensi asked, looking at Hetty.

"I will," Hetty assured her. "Now take Mr. Deeks back to his room and make sure he gets some sleep."

"I'll make sure he does just that." Kensi turned back to Callen one more time, then leaned down and kissed his cheek. "You take care of yourself. We'll be back to see you soon."

"I will," Callen said. "You guys take care too."

"See ya, Callen," Deeks said. "Take it easy."

Kensi then turned Deeks' wheelchair around and pushed it out of the room.

After Deeks and Kensi had left, Callen's attempts at fighting sleep became obvious to Hetty and Sam. "G...you should get some rest." Sam's eyes were serious as he looked at his partner. "I know you're feeling better, but you've still got a lot of recovering ahead of you. You don't want to relapse."

"I'm okay, Sam," Callen said, but his drooping eyelids belied his words.

"Come now, Mr. Callen," Hetty said, her tone gentle as she spoke. "Your partner is right. You need your rest. It's the only way you're going to get better and get out of the hospital. We'll be right here when you wake up."

"You don't have to stay," Callen protested. "Hetty, you should go home and get some rest yourself."

"Let me be the judge of that," Hetty said as she lightly patted his hand. "For now, you just get some sleep and don't worry about a thing."

"I'm not that tired," Callen murmured softly. His eyes closed, his breathing slowly evened out and it didn't take long for him to fall asleep. Sam and Hetty looked at each other and exchanged smiles. Finally things were starting to turn around.


	38. Chapter 38

_Thanks so much to those of you who have been reading and supporting this story. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate it. :)_

xxxxx

"You really need to get some rest," Kensi said as she wheeled Deeks back into his room. "You're not following doctor's orders at all and you just had surgery not long ago. If you keep this up, you're never going to get out of here."

"I'm fine, Kensi," Deeks stated as she stopped the wheelchair by his bed.

"Deeks, please," Kensi pleaded. "Just get some sleep."

Deeks sat in the chair for a few more moments but finally did as she asked. He carefully stood up and climbed onto the bed.

"Thank you." Kensi plumped his pillows and when he had situated himself, she covered him with the sheet and blanket and tucked him in.

"You don't need to be fussing like this," Deeks protested.

"I know I don't have to...I want to." When she was finished, Kensi kissed Deeks on the lips, then sat down in the reclining chair by his bed. "Hell of a day…"

"Yeah...but it looks like Callen is going to pull through," Deeks said. "He's a tough guy…"

"It really makes you think…" Kensi said thoughtfully.

"About?"

"How short life is...how everything can change in an instant. We shouldn't take a moment for granted."

"No...but sometimes things aren't that easy...you can't just gloss over them…"

"I'm not saying we should gloss over them, but…"

"I'm tired." Deeks closed his eyes and rolled away from her, effectively bringing that topic of conversation to a halt. "You said it yourself. I need to rest."

"Okay, Deeks...you rest," Kensi said softly. "I'll be sitting right here when you wake up." She knew he was avoiding the issue, but in all honesty, she felt like doing the same thing. She knew she was going to have to try to help him through it though. They wouldn't be able to move forward with their relationship if she didn't.

xxxxx

Sam's eyes were on his partner as he murmured something unintelligible in his sleep before he slowly opened his eyes. "Did Hetty go home?" Callen asked, noticing that the other chair by Sam was empty. He rubbed his eyes with his hand and tried to appear more awake than he really felt.

"She went to get us some dinner," Sam said. "How are you feeling?" He was still worried about his friend, not yet fully trusting his improvement.

"I'm feeling okay." The incessant headache that had been troubling him previously had gone away which was a great relief to him. He still felt tired and weak, but he knew it would take time to regain his strength.

"Good." Sam nodded, grateful for every positive sign he got. "Can I get you anything?"

"Maybe some water?" Callen asked.

"No problem." Sam poured some water from the pitcher into a cup and handed it to his partner. Callen gulped the water down quickly then handed the cup back to Sam. "Can I have some more please?"

"Yes, but don't gulp it down like that, G. You'll make yourself sick." Sam gazed at Callen, a guilty expression on his face. "There's plenty of water now...you don't need to worry about not having any..."

"I know that…" Callen dropped his eyes from his partner's gaze.

"I'm sorry, G…"

"Why are you sorry?" Callen asked, still not looking at Sam.

"I'm sorry that I didn't protect you, that I hurt you, that I didn't find a way to get you water. I didn't have your back the way I should have…"

"It wasn't your fault, Sam...none of it was. It wasn't up to you to protect me. I didn't protect you either...I'm supposed to be the leader of this team and I didn't protect anyone…"

"Don't do that to yourself," Sam said. "Come on, G, look at me. I feel like I'm talking to myself here."

Callen lifted his head and met Sam's eyes, his own blue eyes full of emotion. "You don't have anything to be sorry for...let's face it, this is all on me...everything that happened...it was my fault."

Sam shook his head, a hint of anger in his eyes. "No way, G...There is no way I'm letting you take the blame for this. It's on Bart and his flunkies, no one else. Certainly not you. In any case, you were hurt. You did all that you could do under the circumstances."

"You know Bart was focused on me...you all just got caught up in it and got hurt because of that. Deeks isn't in great shape because he was forced to hurt Kensi. That's on me too."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Fine, G. You're right. You and Hetty are to blame for all of this."

"Hetty? I didn't say Hetty."

"Bart was Hetty's friend. She's the one who brought him into our lives. If it hadn't been for her, Bart never would have known any of us even existed. It's her fault just as much as it's yours."

"You're being ridiculous. How was Hetty supposed to know what he was going to do? She hasn't even been in contact with him in decades." Even as Callen defended her, he knew what Sam was trying to do and he pretended to fall into his partner's trap.

"Do you get what I'm saying, G?"

"Yeah, Sam…" Callen sighed heavily, "but…"

"No buts, buddy. Bart focused on a 15-year old kid who never gave him a second thought. It is NOT your fault."

"Okay, Sam...you win. It's not my fault," Callen said, not sounding particularly happy about it.

"I'm not trying to win...I just want you to really believe it, G. I think you've suffered more than enough without blaming yourself."

"I do believe it, Sam...I'm fine. I won't blame myself anymore."

"Well, I for one, am glad to hear that," Hetty said as she came back into the room, carrying a brown shopping bag. "You certainly don't have anything to blame yourself for."

"I know, Hetty...Sam beat it into my head," Callen said, managing what he thought was a genuine smile.

Hetty didn't smile back though as she put the bag on his tray table. "It troubles me that you would even think this was your fault," she said sadly. "You've had more than your share of bad luck, Mr. Callen. Heaping more undeserved guilt on yourself isn't going to help your recovery and that, I'm afraid, would be on me."

"This is just turning into one big blame game," Sam muttered under his breath, but not so softly that Hetty and Callen didn't hear him.

"It's not your fault, Hetty," Callen said.

Hetty sighed softly. "Perhaps that's true," she said, "but I also know that Bart would not have taken any of you if it wasn't for me. He wanted to hurt me and I'm afraid he did a very good job of accomplishing that. He picked the perfect way to get back at me and I'm very sorry that the four of you were caught up in this."

"Hetty...G and I don't blame you for what happened," Sam stated, "and I know Kensi and Deeks feel the same way. Bart is a whackjob. There was no way you ever could have predicted what he would do, or the lengths he would go to, in order to get back at you."

"I suppose you're right," Hetty said, but like Callen, she wasn't particularly convincing.

Wanting to change the mood in the room, Sam focused on Hetty's brown paper bag. "Well, I don't know about the two of you," Sam said, "but I'm starved. What did you get for dinner, Hetty?"

"Just some simple things," Hetty said as she began pulling items out of the bag, some sandwiches, chicken soup, salad and some cookies that looked quite tempting. She passed the container of chicken soup to Callen along with a plastic soup. "I thought this might be easy for you to start with…"

"Thanks, Hetty," Callen said as he took the lid off the container. He watched as Sam eagerly dug into a salad and Hetty soon followed suit. He tentatively put his spoon into the container and swallowed a spoonful of broth then tried another. He really had no appetite though and it just didn't appeal to him. He put the spoon down on his tray and found himself listening to Hetty and Sam who were engaged in quiet conversation. It wasn't very long at all before the sound of their voices lulled him back to sleep.

xxxxx

" _K...Kensi?" Deeks' voice was very tentative as he approached her. She was sitting on the floor in a corner of their basement, her face buried against her pulled up knees and her hair messy and matted. As he drew closer, he could see that she was trembling. "Baby? What's wrong? What happened?"_

" _Stay away from me." Kensi lifted her face and Deeks stopped short, shocked at her appearance. Her right eye was practically swollen shut and her cheek underneath was a massive bruise of purplish, bluish and reddish hues._

" _Who did this to you?" Deeks demanded. "Tell me, now!"_

" _How can you even ask me that?" Kensi shook her head and looked at Deeks, her expression a mixture of fear and hatred. "You! You, did this to me Deeks!"_

 _Deeks' eyes widened in shock when he heard Kensi's accusation. "Baby...baby, I would never, ever do anything like this. I could never hurt you…"_

" _These cracked ribs tell a very different story, unless you have an identical twin you never told me about... You're a LIAR, Deeks and don't ever call me baby again. I'm not your baby. I'm not your anything anymore!_

" _Kensi, please," Deeks pleaded as his eyes filled with tears. "I...I don't remember hurting you...I don't understand…"_

" _Well, maybe you'll understand this. All those times you used to say you'd end up just like your father, I never believed you, but that was a mistake. Now I know what you are...you're a carbon copy of your father and I am never going to have anything to do with you. Not now...not ever! And you need to submit your resignation from NCIS, or at least apply for a transfer, because I'm not going to work with you and when Callen and Sam hear what you've done, they won't work with you either. As a matter of fact, they're probably going to want to beat the living hell out of you and I'm certainly not going to stop them. You're just lucky I'm not going to press charges. I just want you out of my life. I never want to see you again."_

xxxxx

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please Kensi, please forgive me. I didn't mean it. I would never want to hurt you…"

"Deeks! Deeks, baby, wake up. Come on, sweetheart," Kensi held onto her distraught fiance tightly, trying to get him to calm down. "Shh...it's okay, baby. I'm right here. You're okay."

"Kensi?" Deeks opened his eyes, still looking confused and upset by the dream.

"Yes, baby. It's me. Everything's okay." Kensi brushed his hair back and lightly kissed his cheek.

"But, but you said…" Deeks shook his head, trying to orient himself back into reality.

"What did I say, sweetheart?" Kensi asked.

"I...nothing…" The look Deeks gave Kensi was filled with very real guilt and remorse and it hit her like a ton of bricks as she began to realize that maybe hiding herself from Deeks was not making things better...perhaps it was making them worse...

"Deeks? I'm beginning to think that I may have been wrong not letting you see my back," she said softly. "It's really not that bad at all and maybe if you see it, we can help each other heal together…"

Deeks shook his head. The glimpse he had seen had been bad enough. "I don't know, Kens…"

"Deeks please," Kensi said softly. "You trust me, don't you?"

"Of course...With my life…"

"Then trust me with this…" Kensi took his hand gently and brought it to her lips, letting all the love she had for this man show in her eyes. "Please…"

Deeks looked at her, his eyes filled with emotion. He had a hard time refusing her anything, especially when she looked at him like that. "Alright, Kensi…" he said, a slight tremor in his voice. "I'll do whatever you want…"

xxxxx

 _Thanks so much to UsedToBeMe for your suggestions about how to help Kensi and Deeks start to reconnect. They were very helpful to me. There will be more in the next chapter._


	39. Chapter 39

_Thanks for reading and following this story. I appreciate the support more than I can say. Hope you like this chapter :)_

xxxxx

"I'm going to bring some food to Mr. Deeks and Ms. Blye," Hetty said to Sam. She spoke softly as to not awaken Callen.

"Would you like me to do it for you?" Sam asked.

"No, no, Mr. Hanna. I'd like to check up on them myself. Will you be okay here?"

"Of course," Sam said with a nod. He glanced at Callen's container of soup which he had barely touched. "I wish he would have eaten."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much at the moment. He was on death's doorstep just a few hours ago. I'm sure it may take time for him to get his appetite back. It's completely understandable. I don't think he'll respond well if we nag him, Sam. We'll just keep an eye on him and see how he does. You can't rush his recovery."

"Yeah...I guess you're right," Sam said. He really hoped his partner started to get back to his normal self soon though.

xxxxx

Just as Kensi was about to close the door to Deeks' room so they would have some privacy, an aide came into the room with Deeks' dinner tray. "Here you are, sweetie," she said.

"Thanks." Deeks smiled at her and shrugged at Kensi. "I don't have to eat it."

"Yes you do," Kensi said. "You need to eat." She watched as Deeks lifted the dome from the tray and looked underneath. When he made a face, she didn't have to ask if it was anything he liked. "What is it?"

"I think it's some kind of a meatloaf concoction," Deeks replied grinning. "It has some weird little white things inside the meat. Maybe some kind of insect larva?"

"Stop it," Kensi said, laughing. She looked at his dinner and it actually made her stomach turn. She rapidly put the cover back over the tray. "You have to eat dinner. I'll get us something. What do you want?"

"No need for that, Ms. Blye," Hetty said as she entered their room. "I have plenty of food right here. Some sandwiches, salad and soup. The soup may just need to be heated up in a microwave. I was informed that there is a little kitchenette for patient and family use right down the hall."

"Oh that's perfect, Hetty. Thank you." Kensi gave a grateful smile to the older woman. "Would you like to join us?"

"I already had my dinner with Mr. Hanna and Mr. Callen. Now please, eat. I'll visit with you for a few minutes and then be on my way."

Kensi pulled two salads out of the bag and passed one of them to Deeks. "How's Callen doing?"

"He's holding his own," Hetty replied. "He was asleep when I left."

"He probably needs his rest," Deeks said. "He went through a lot."

"I daresay you all went through quite a bit," Hetty stated softly. "It's going to take time for you to recover both physically and emotionally."

"Don't worry, Hetty," Deeks said. "We're a pretty strong team. We'll come through this A-okay."

"Well, there's no need to push yourselves too hard. None of you are coming back to work until your physicians and I deem that you are ready to do so," Hetty said. "Now I'm going to leave you two to your dinner and I'll visit with you tomorrow."

"Thanks again, Hetty," Deeks said.

"Yes, thank you." Kensi stood up and gave Hetty a hug. "We really appreciate it."

"Anything I can do for the two of you, all you need to do is ask," Hetty said. "Now eat well and get some rest. Good night."

"Goodnight, Hetty," Deeks and Kensi said in unison as she left the room.

xxxxx

Callen was sleeping restlessly and he awoke about a half hour after Hetty left the room. "Where'd Hetty go?" he asked Sam, looking distraught. "You didn't let her go see Bart, did you?"

"What?" Sam shook his head, giving Callen a concerned look. "No, she's not with Bart. She went to bring Kensi and Deeks some dinner. She'll be back soon."

"When? When will she be back? TELL ME!"

"What seems to be the problem?" Hetty asked as she walked back into the room.

Callen calmed down immediately when Hetty appeared. "I...I thought you were with Bart...I...I was worried."

"G, Bart is handcuffed and under guard," Sam explained patiently. "He can't hurt you...He can't hurt anyone."

"I'm not worried about myself," Callen snapped, glaring at Sam. "I'm not afraid of him. I was worried about Hetty."

"Did you have a nightmare?" Hetty asked, her tone comforting.

Callen nodded as he looked at her, his eyes filled with emotion.

The look on his face broke her heart. She didn't need to ask him about the dream, knowing that it had involved her being in danger or worse. "Well, I'm fine, and I have no plans to visit with Bart anytime soon. Now you need to try to relax. All this fretting isn't good for you."

"Okay," Callen said as he tried to settle himself down. "You promise you won't go see him without telling me?"

"Yes, yes," Hetty said, taking his hand. "I promise. Now please get some rest." She didn't take her eyes off him until he had fallen back to sleep. During moments like these, all she saw was how he had been as a boy when he'd been unwell and had let go of his usually carefully guarded emotions. She finally released his hand and turned to Sam.

"Did anything else happen to upset him besides the nightmare?"

Sam shook his head. "No, he was sleeping kind of restlessly and then he awoke suddenly worried that I had let you go see Bart."

Hetty sighed, her eyes on Callen once again. "That man," she said angrily. "Prison is too good for him after what he did to all of you."

"You're definitely right about that," Sam said nodding, totally in agreement with Hetty's words.

xxxxx

"Well that was a nice dinner," Kensi said after she had cleared away all their empty dinner containers and put them back in the bag.

"It was very good," Deeks said.

"So, where were we?" Kensi asked softly, looking at Deeks meaningfully.

Deeks met Kensi's gaze but he suddenly felt slightly panicked. "I…"

"Deeks, sweetheart, it's okay," Kensi said as she gently stroked the side of his face. "I think you're making this out to be much worse than the reality."

"Even me giving you a scratch is too much," Deeks whispered, hanging his head.

"You said you'd do whatever I want…" Kensi felt bad saying this to him. She felt like she was forcing him against his will, but the more she thought about it, the more she thought it was the right decision.

"Okay...I...I'll do it."

"Good." Kensi smiled gently at him and then went to close the door to his room. Then, just as an extra measure for privacy, she drew the privacy curtain totally around Deeks' bed. She then rummaged through her bag and pulled out her prescription cream. "It's very soothing…" she said to Deeks, knowing how anxious he was. "You don't need to worry about hurting me." She then sat on the edge of his bed with her back towards him, took off her shirt and waited breathlessly for his reaction.

Nothing happened. He didn't say a word and he didn't touch her. Finally, Kensi turned around and saw the flood of tears streaming down his face. "Deeks, baby…" She quickly put her shirt back on and put her arms around him, stroking his back as he sobbed.

"I...I'm so sorry, Kens…" he cried. "I...I'm so, so sorry."

"Shhh...It's okay. I promise you, everything's going to be okay…" She rocked him gently as he cried, thinking maybe this release of emotion was what he needed, maybe it was the best thing for him. "I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you too, babe...I'm so sorry I did this to you…"

xxxxx

Hetty had tried to make her case that she stay with Callen instead of Sam but he had finally persuaded her to go home. He believed his partner was safe from Bart but he still didn't feel able to leave him on his own. In any case, Callen had come very close to dying just hours ago and he still wasn't totally persuaded that everything was okay with his friend.

"Sam?"

Sam was brought out of his thoughts by his partner's voice. "Yeah, G. Are you okay?"

"Did Hetty go home?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, buddy. She's okay. I had her text me when she got there."

"Okay," Callen said as he sat up, still looking slightly uneasy. "Can...can I have some water?"

Sam poured a cup of water from the pitcher and noted that Callen was looking at him warily as he drink. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing...I'm just making sure you know I'm not drinking too fast."

Sam wasn't sure if G was being sarcastic or dead serious, but the look in his eyes made Sam think he wasn't joking around. "You're fine, G."

"But I'm not fine if I want more water, am I?" Callen asked angrily as he slammed the empty cup down on the bedside table. "Only one cup...that's all I'm allowed, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked, mystified at his partner's state of mind. "I didn't say there was a limit to how much water you could have. I just didn't want you to gulp it down. I don't want you to get sick. Where is this coming from?"

"You're working for Bart! I know he wants you to limit my water. You think I won't notice, but I do!"

"Bart? Come on, man...I would never work for Bart. I would never do anything against you. I can promise you that. You're my best friend. Is that what you really think?"

"I don't know…" Callen shook his head and stared down at the bed, appearing bewildered. "I'm sorry...I don't even know what I'm saying."

"You want to talk?" Sam asked. At this point, he wasn't sure if Callen was half asleep, if this was from the poison, a side effect of the cure or what it was.

"No." Callen shook his head and laid back down, looking exhausted and troubled. "I'm just going to go to sleep."

"Okay...you sleep buddy. Hopefully, you'll feel better in the morning."

"Thanks. Goodnight, Sam." Callen gave his friend some semblance of a smile and closed his eyes.

"Goodnight, G. Sleep well."


	40. Chapter 40

_I admit that my mind is kind of warped with some of the things I come up with ;) Part of this chapter is pretty out there but it was kind of fun to write. In any case, please forgive me and thanks for reading._

xxxxx

Eventually, Deeks settled down. His emotions were still all over the place, but he was no longer sobbing. Instead, he was quiet and still as Kensi held him. He had no idea how he had managed to gain the complete love and trust of this woman who remained loyal to him no matter what, but he was extremely grateful she remained by his side.

"Deeks?" Kensi's voice broke into his thoughts as she slowly released him, but still kept one hand gently on his waist, not breaking contact as she looked into his emotion-filled eyes. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

Deeks took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before nodding. "I...I'm okay, Kens, but…"

Kensi slowly shook her head. "No buts, Deeks...you did what you had to do and that's all there is to it. You didn't have a choice. We both know that if Bart had set Burke loose on Callen, he wouldn't have stopped beating him until... Callen wouldn't have stood a chance. Would you really have been able to live with that?"

Deeks sighed softly as he thought about her words and really considered them. He knew she was right. Callen would very likely be dead right now if he hadn't made the decision he had made.

"I know with everything in my heart that you would never willingly harm me," Kensi continued.

"I just...I still can't stand that I did that to you...that I hurt you."

"I'm strong, Deeks. I'm fine. Please don't worry about me. Don't give Bart that kind of power. He would love to know that this has crept into your brain and he would be thrilled if we ever let this come between us. I know I don't want to give him that kind of satisfaction...do you?"

"No... " Deeks said softly. "You're right...I don't want to do anything that would make Bart think he won. He hasn't won. We're the ones who survived in spite of everything that he did to us."

Kensi nodded slowly as she smiled. "That's right, Deeks. We survived and we're going to come through this just fine. You just need to truly believe it in your heart and once you do, you'll be as sure as I am that everything will be okay."

xxxxx

Callen awoke with a start, his heart pounding. He was both surprised and relieved to find himself alone. He took a few deep breaths as he tried to slow his heartbeat and then reached for the pitcher of water. He was in the act of pouring it into the cup when Sam returned to the room, carrying a plastic bag. Startled, Callen dropped the pitcher and the cover came off as water poured all over the bedside table and over the edge, landing on Callen's bed and his hospital gown.

"I'll get a towel," Sam said as he rushed into the bathroom and came back moments later holding a white towel. He then began to wipe up the watery mess. Callen just watched Sam silently, his blue eyes wary. "How wet are you?" Sam asked, after he had gotten the small table tried off. He reached towards Callen's hospital gown but Callen immediately moved away from him.

"Don't," Callen ordered. Sam immediately backed off and saw something in his partner's eyes that he had never seen directed at him before...fear.

"G...what is it? What's wrong?"

Callen just stared back at him. Finally he whispered, "you whipped me."

Sam felt like he'd been gut punched when he heard the words and saw the expression on Callen's face. "G...I…" He hung his head, having no words to defend himself. He had somehow managed to put what had happened out of his mind. So much had happened since then that he'd thought it was behind them. He now knew that had been foolish of him. "I'm so sorry, buddy...you'll never know how much..."

"I'm sorry too and I'm not your buddy," Callen stated, the look in his eyes switching from fear to ice cold anger and Sam could have sworn he saw something else...hatred. "I'm sorry that I ever trusted you. I'm sorry that we were ever partners." Callen then edged over to the other end of the bed, as far away from Sam as he could get, and once again fell asleep.

xxxxx

"So, Deeks?" Kensi began hesitantly, not wanting to upset him again.

"Yeah? What is it baby?"

"I…you don't have to do this, but...I still need to have the cream put on my back…" Kensi went on to quickly add, "of course, I understand if you don't want to do it. I can find someone else who can help me." She wasn't really sure who though as Hetty had already left. Perhaps she could find a nurse who would be willing to help her.

Deeks looked back at Kensi, considering her question for only a few moments. "I don't want you to have to go to anyone else," he said softly. "I can do it, Kensi."

"Are you sure?" Kensi asked.

Deeks nodded and he picked up the ointment from the bed. "I'm sure."

As she had before, Kensi took off her shirt and waited, but this time she didn't have long to wait. She could feel Deeks begin to very gently apply the ointment to her welts. She immediately felt the cool and soothing relief the ointment gave her. "I'm finished," Deeks said softly, when he had finished applying the ointment to the last welt.

Kensi turned to him and saw the emotion in his eyes but he had definitely reacted better this time. "Thank you, Deeks," she said softly as she embraced him tightly. "You did such a good job. It feels so much better. I love you so much. I couldn't love you more."

"Right back at you, baby," Deeks said, with a slight hitch in his voice. "Right back at you."

xxxxx

After Callen had fallen asleep, Sam quietly went over to the other side of Callen's bed and took out the contents of the bag, six bottles of water which he placed on top of the nightstand. He hoped that having them there would help ease his friend's fear of not having water. He then settled back into the reclining chair and thought about what had just occurred. The more he went over it in his mind, the more he was convinced that his partner wasn't thinking straight at all. He had a hard time believing that Bart had broken Callen, no matter how badly he had been hurt during their captivity. He was pretty sure that he was experiencing side effects, likely from the drug cocktail. He would see if he could talk to Callen's physician privately the following morning about what was going on with his partner. Finally, exhausted from the events of the day, Sam fell into a troubled sleep.

xxxxx

At a little after 3 a.m., Callen awoke abruptly, gasping for breath with his heart racing. He sat up in bed and his eyes widened when he saw Sam sleeping in the recliner beside his bed. "I need to get out of here," he whispered to himself. "This is my chance." He pulled the IV from his arm and grabbed two of the bottles of water from the nightstand. He then very quietly got out of bed and quickly fled from the room.

xxxxx

Kensi opened her eyes with the feeling that something was wrong. Her first instinct was to look at Deeks, but he seemed to be peacefully asleep, his breathing soft and even. She then turned her head and her heart skipped a beat when she saw Callen staring at her. He was leaning with his back against the door, barefoot and wearing a hospital gown, holding a bottle of water in each hand. "Callen? Are you okay? she asked as she got out of the reclining chair and cautiously approached him. He didn't answer her. When she reached him, she gently put her arms around him and could feel him shivering as she held him. "Did something happen?" She gently ushered him to the chair she had just vacated. "Callen, sit down," she ordered gently. She then put her discarded blanket around his shoulders. By this time, Deeks had awakened and was watching them with a silent question in his eyes. Kensi shrugged and then squatted down next to Callen. "Can you tell me what's wrong?"

"Sam...Sam's working for Bart," Callen finally said.

"Sam? Why would you think that?" Kensi asked. "Sam's your best friend. He would never work for Bart…"

"He whipped me," Callen stated. "He doesn't let me have any water. He...he's going to kill me."

Deeks eyes widened at the last part of what Callen said. "What the hell?" he whispered.

"HE IS GOING TO KILL ME DEEKS!" Callen yelled, shifting his attention towards the detective and glaring at him. "I don't care if you don't believe me. And you two better watch your backs because he'll probably try to kill you next."

"I didn't say I didn't believe you, Callen," Deeks said, keeping his tone even and calm. "Just...can you tell us what happened?"

"I got away."

"From Sam?" Kensi asked, trying unsuccessfully to make sense of what was going on.

"He was asleep. I managed to escape."

"You don't think he knocked Sam out, do you?" Deeks whispered.

Kensi shrugged, not knowing what to think. "I don't understand how he even got here… Why didn't anyone stop him? He doesn't even have any shoes or socks."

"How'd he even know where we were?" Deeks asked.

Callen stared at Kensi and then Deeks incredulously. "You two do know that I'm not deaf, don't you?" he asked. "Hetty mentioned your room number earlier and I wouldn't be much of an agent if I couldn't get from my room to yours undetected."

"You're right, of course," Kensi said, trying to soothe him. "Why don't you rest for now? It's late."

"I'm not tired," Callen said, but the heaviness of his eyelids directly contradicted his words.

"Come on, man… " Deeks said. "Kensi's right. It's very late. You're safe here. Sam's not going to hurt you. I promise."

"You can't promise that, Deeks," Callen said, obviously anxious. He kept looking towards the door as if expecting Sam to come crashing through it. Finally, exhausted from his ill-advised trek through the hospital, he could no longer keep his eyes open and he dropped off to sleep.

Once he was sure that Callen was sleeping, Deeks sighed then looked over at Kensi. "It never seems to end, does it...now what?"

"I'm going to call Sam," Kensi stated as she looked over at Callen, her eyes filled with worry. "I have no idea what it is, but there's obviously something very wrong with Callen."


	41. Chapter 41

Thanks so much for all the reviews on the last chapter. I appreciated each and every one of them :) I'm sorry this chapter isn't too long, but I haven't gotten much writing done lately. I did want to get something out though. Thanks for reading :)

xxxxx

"On second thought...maybe I should go see Sam in person. I think it might be a little easier for him to hear that way," Kensi said after staring at her cell phone and then putting it back into her pocket.

"Okay," Deeks said, nodding in agreement. "Whatever you think."

"Are you going to be all right here?" Kensi asked.

"Of course." Deeks smiled at Kensi. "It's Callen."

"Yes, but not exactly the Callen we're used to," Kensi said seriously. "Watch yourself. He's very unpredictable. I'll be back soon."

"Okay, baby. Good luck."

xxxxx

Kensi quietly made her way into Callen's room where she found Sam, still fast asleep, obviously exhausted. She hated to wake him, but she knew she needed to. "Sam?" she called softly as she gently rubbed his shoulder. "Sam, wake up."

It took Sam a few moments to open his eyes and he looked up at Kensi wearily. "Hey Kens. What's up?"

"I just wanted to let you know that Callen is in Deeks' room."

"What?" Suddenly fully awake, Sam sat up, ignoring the soreness and stiffness in his bones, and looked over at Callen's, now empty bed. "What is he doing there?"

"He…" Kensi shook her head helplessly, not even sure how to explain their team leader's bizarre behavior. "He was afraid of you, Sam. He thinks you're working with Bart."

Sam sighed as he ran his hand over his face. "I'm not working with Bart.

"Sam...Of course you're not. Don't you think I know that?" Kensi asked, her eyes filled with sympathy. "I know how much you care about him. When I left, he was asleep. I just think you should leave him alone until morning. He's really anxious. He believes you want to kill him."

"Kill him?" Sam asked, his voice breaking on the words. "I thought this all stemmed from me whipping him…"

"Maybe it does," Kensi said. "All I know is that he looked really scared and that isn't something you see from Callen."

Sam shook his head. "No...something's definitely wrong. I have a hard time thinking that Bart got into his mind that much though. I'm thinking this may be a side effect from the meds he was given. Apparently the drug cocktail can have some pretty nasty side effects."

Kensi nodded. "That could very well be true. Why don't you try to get some sleep and when the doctor comes by for rounds in the morning, you can bring him to Deeks' room. I'm sorry that I woke you, but I didn't want you to wake on your own and find him gone." She knew that would have put Sam into a panic.

"You did the right thing…" Sam said. He had a hard time knowing that his friend was afraid of him, but he didn't want to do anything that would hurt him so he would do as Kensi wanted. "If he needs me…"

"I'll call you right away," Kensi said. "Try to get some sleep, Sam."

Sam nodded and watched as Kensi left the room, but he was pretty sure he wouldn't be sleeping anymore that night.

xxxxx

Deeks had been lightly dozing for only a couple of minutes when he opened his eyes and saw Callen staring at him. "Hey, Callen...Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"Where's Kensi?" Callen asked, his eyes full of mistrust. "Did she go to deliver more information to Bart?"

Deeks quickly shook his head. "Of course not. You know better than that, Callen. Kensi's your favorite agent. She would never betray you like that."

"Well, I thought Sam was my best friend too and I found out that wasn't true. You never really know about people. One minute they're your friends, the next minute they're stabbing you in the back."

Deeks sighed. "Callen...I know you don't believe it, but there's no way in hell Sam would be working with Bart, especially not against you. You are still his best friend whether you believe it or not."

Callen narrowed his eyes at Deeks. "Talk like that makes me think you're working for Bart too, Deeks. He let all of you eat and drink...everyone except me. I don't know why I didn't put it all together sooner." He shook his head in disbelief. "The three of you must think I'm pretty stupid. You were probably all laughing about what a fool I was behind my back."

"Come on Callen, that's just not true." Part of him knew arguing with Callen when he wasn't in his right mind wasn't going to do any good, but Deeks felt compelled to try anyway. "We would never laugh at you and we would never, ever work with Bart."

Callen looked down at the blanket covering him and realized that the two bottles of water he had taken from his room were gone. "Where's my water?!" he asked Deeks. "What did you do with it?"

"Calm down, Callen. They're right there." Deeks pointed to the top of the nightstand where Kensi had put the water bottles before she left the room. "No one is taking the water from you."

Callen grabbed the bottles and opened one of them. He gulped down half the bottle before he put the cap back on it, then looked at Deeks defiantly. "You're right. No one is taking them from me."

Deeks just shook his head, unsure of how to deal with this bizarro world Callen. He was immensely relieved when Kensi arrived back in the room.

"Hey guys, I thought you'd both be asleep."

"Why?" Callen challenged. "Easier to kill me that way?"

"What?" Kensi looked over at Deeks who shrugged.

"Where were you, Kensi?" Callen asked. "Off seeing your new best buddy, Bart?"

"Callen...where is this coming from?" Kensi asked gently. "Of course I wasn't with Bart. I despise the man. I was just stretching my legs."

Callen gazed back at Kensi, suddenly appearing a little bit unsure of his accusations. "I...I'm going to go to sleep. Don't anyone take my water." He then tucked the two bottles against his side underneath the blanket and it didn't take long for him to fall asleep.

"He suspects us too now?" Kensi asked sadly as she sat on the bed next to Deeks and leaned into him as he put his arm around her.

"He doesn't know what he's saying," Deeks said.

"I guess…" At this point, Kensi was just wishing that they could go home and forget about all of this. She knew that wasn't possible quite yet though.

"So...what did Sam say?" Deeks whispered, after he was certain that Callen really was sleeping.

"He wasn't very happy," Kensi said. "I managed to convince him that coming back to our room was likely going to just make things worse. He agreed to wait until tomorrow when he'll come with the doctor."

"Callen managed to survive the poison, but now he's going through this, whatever this is," Deeks said. "Bart would be laughing his ass off if he knew what was going on with him."

"Well, he doesn't know," Kensi said, "and he's not going to find out." She gazed at Deeks and realized how tired he was. She knew she wasn't focusing on his recovery the way she should be, not that he would ever complain. "Deeks. You should try to get some sleep, sweetheart. There's just a couple hours left until morning. I'm going to watch over Callen and make sure he doesn't try to do anything he shouldn't or try to leave our room."

"Are you sure, baby?" Deeks asked. He wanted to insist that he be the one to keep watch, but he honestly didn't feel up to it. He could barely keep his eyes open.

"I'm sure." Kensi smiled at him as she helped him to get situated and comfortable in his bed then kissed him on the lips. "Good night, Deeks. I love you."

"Love you too, Kens...wake me if you need to…"

"I will," Kensi whispered, her heart melting as she brushed his hair back with her hand and Deeks dropped off to sleep. She just loved this man so much. She then took a seat in the other chair in the room and began keeping her vigil over Callen, feeling very apprehensive about what the morning might bring.


	42. Chapter 42

Thanks for reading and for all your reviews. As always, they are very much appreciated. Less than a week until the premiere! :)

xxxxx

Callen groaned softly as he opened his eyes, feeling the beginnings of a dull headache. The first thing he saw was Kensi watching him and his mood darkened immediately. "Don't you have anything better to do than watch me?" he asked with a scowl as he pulled out the bottle of water he had drank from a few hours previously. He twisted off the cap and gulped some of it down before staring back at Kensi defiantly.

"I'm just trying to make sure you're safe, Callen. That's all," Kensi replied quietly. She was tired and really didn't feel like getting into a quarrel with him.

"Yeah, right," Callen said, drinking some more water. "You're just looking for the best opportunity to sic Sam on me or maybe Burke. Are you in cahoots with him too?"

"Will you please shut up?" Deeks voice abruptly entered the conversation. "Geeze, Callen. If we wanted you dead, you'd already be dead. You were sleeping. How hard would it have been to take you out?"

"Deeks!" Kensi turned her head towards her fiance, surprised at his reaction. "Not helping."

"Whatever," Deeks said unrepentantly. "You know it's true."

Kensi sighed, but as she looked more closely at Deeks she could see a light sheen of perspiration covering his face. She went over to him and lightly touched his forehead, feeling the heat emanating from it. She immediately pressed the call button for the nurse.

"What did you do that for?" Deeks grumbled.

"You're running a fever," Kensi said matter-of-factly. "You need to get checked out."

Deeks rolled his eyes but didn't protest again. In all honesty, he felt like crap.

Kensi turned her attention back to Callen who was just sitting there, looking a little bit shell-shocked. "Callen? Are you okay?" As difficult as he was being, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She knew none of this was his fault.

"I need to leave," Callen said as he made a move to get up out of the recliner.

"Where are you going?" Kensi was by his side in an instant, ready to intervene.

"I...I don't know…" He looked confused for a moment but then shook his head as if clearing his thoughts. "I'm going home." He then looked around the room, appearing to be searching for something or someone. "Where's Hetty?"

"Hetty? She's not here right now, but she will be a little later."

"Oh." Callen appeared a little bit lost, but he didn't say anything else nor did he attempt to leave again.

At that moment, a nurse came into the room. "Good morning. Can I do something for you?" she asked pleasantly as she went to Deeks' bedside.

"I don't know, ask her," Deeks said with a pointed look at Kensi. "She's the one who called you."

"I think he's running a fever," Kensi explained to the nurse.

The nurse nodded. "I'll go get a thermometer." She left the room and came back a couple of minutes later then proceeded to take Deeks' temperature. "Hmm...101.8. I'll let the doctor know." She glanced at Callen on her way out of the room, but didn't say anything as she went on her way.

xxxxx

Sam was sitting on the recliner, staring at Callen's empty bed, when Dr. Carlisle entered the room. "Sam?" the doctor asked with a look of concern. "Where's Callen?"

Sam shook his head as he looked over at the doctor. "He's in Deeks' room...he didn't have a very good night."

"Why wasn't I notified?" the doctor asked. "I was on call."

"Oh…" Sam said nothing, looking momentarily at a loss for words. "I didn't know...I just figured I'd tell you this morning."

"So what seems to be the problem with Callen?" the doctor asked, deciding to pursue the matter of why he hadn't been notified would prove fruitless.

"I don't know…" Sam began. "He's been really paranoid. For some reason, he's afraid of me. He thinks I'm trying to kill him. He's really out of touch with reality."

"Has this kind of thing happened with him before?"

"No."

"What about before you all were rescued?"

"He was kind of out of it a few times when he was running high fevers," Sam said. "But this is definitely very much out of the norm for him."

"Okay," Dr. Carlisle said with a nod. "Why don't we head over to Deeks' room and see how your friend is doing this morning."

xxxxx

After checking out Deeks' shoulder, his doctor determined that he had developed a postoperative infection. "I'm going to change his antibiotic," the doctor said to Kensi, since Deeks had fallen back to sleep. "I'll have the nurse give him some Tylenol and we'll keep a close eye on him."

"Thank you," Kensi said softly. She had really thought everything was fine with Deeks and that he was out of the woods. She should have known that was too much to hope for. After the doctor left the room, she glanced over at Callen who was sitting quietly and had started on his second bottle of water. "Callen? Do you need anything?"

"Like what?" Callen asked angrily. "More poison so you can finish off what Bart started?"

Kensi stared back at him for a long moment, but didn't say anything. She had really hoped he would have been better after getting a bit of sleep but that didn't seem to be the case. She looked up in relief as Callen's doctor entered the room, followed by Sam.

"Good morning, Callen," the doctor said with a friendly smile as he approached Callen. "How are you feeling today?"

"Well, I'm still alive, so I guess that's a good thing," Callen replied.

"Why wouldn't you be alive?" Dr. Carlisle asked. "You really turned a corner yesterday and were doing a lot better."

"That was then," Callen mumbled.

"So has something changed?" the doctor asked. "Are you experiencing additional symptoms?"

"I have a headache," Callen answered.

The doctor nodded. "How bad is it on a scale of 1 to 10?"

Callen shrugged. "I don't know...maybe a four."

"Okay, that's not too bad. We'll give you something for it. I have to say, I was surprised when I went to your room earlier and didn't find you there."

Callen just stared down at his blanket-covered legs and didn't say anything.

"Is there a reason for that?"

"I didn't want to be there with him," Callen said, turning his head to glare at Sam.

"Why not?"

"I don't trust him...he's trying to kill me…"

"I see...Did he do something to harm you?"

"He's working for Bart. He whipped me and won't let me have food or water. None of them will," Callen stated, briefly shifting his glare towards Kensi. "I can't trust any of them anymore."

"Well, I really think you should get back to your room. You can't rest comfortably here."

Callen shook his head. "I don't want any of them in there."

"That's fine," Dr. Carlisle responded. "What about Hetty? Can she come into your room?"

"Yes, of course," Callen said with a nod. "I want to see her. They won't let me…"

"G… that's just not true," Sam protested, unable to keep silent any longer.

"Sam…" the doctor cautioned as he shook his head at the other man.

Sam rolled his eyes with a slight huff, but didn't say any more.

"Can I bring you back there now?" the doctor asked.

Callen hesitated and then nodded. "Not Sam?"

Dr. Carlisle shook his head. "Not if you don't want him there."

"I don't."

"Okay, just you and me then."

Callen hesitated again before nodding slowly. "Okay."

"Come on then, we'll go get you a wheelchair and get you situated back in your room."

xxxxx

"What the hell!" Sam exploded after the doctor had escorted Callen out of the room. "Now I'm not even allowed to be in the same room with G?"

"Sam, calm down," Kensi said wearily. "He was right. Right now, us being with Callen is detrimental to his recovery. We're just stressing him out." In all honesty, she was glad he had been taken off her hands. Not that she didn't care about Callen. She cared about him very much, but she needed to worry about Deeks right now and she just didn't feel equipped to competently cope with whatever Callen's current issues were.

"Still...he shouldn't be alone," Sam stated, still very worried about his partner. "I'm going to call Hetty…"

"It's really early," Kensi protested. "Maybe you should wait a bit."

"Do you really think Hetty would want me to wait?" Sam asked.

Kensi briefly considered the question before slowly shaking her head. "No...no, she wouldn't."

Sam nodded in satisfaction as he pulled out his cell phone to call their operations manager.

xxxxx

Hetty quietly walked into Callen's room and was glad to see that he was asleep. She sat down beside him and took stock of his appearance, noting that his sleep appeared peaceful. That didn't last for very long though. After about 20 minutes, he began murmuring in his sleep and moving about fretfully under the covers. She was about to try to awaken him when his eyes popped open and he looked around the room before his gaze settled on her. "Hetty...I didn't think you'd be able to come…"

"And why would you think that?" Hetty asked with a gentle smile as she took his hand. "I would think you'd know by now how important you are to me."

"I do," Callen replied. "But...I didn't think they'd let you come."

"And who is it you're talking about?" Hetty already knew the answer to her question from her conversation with Sam, but she wanted to see for herself just how badly off Callen really was.

"Sam...the team. They're working for Bart."

"I see," Hetty said quietly. "That's not good. Are you sure that's the case?"

Callen nodded. "Sam whipped me...he won't let me have water…and he wouldn't let you come to see me."

Hetty shook her head. "Oh Mr. Callen, if I know anything about your partner, I know that he would never willingly hurt you. Anything he may have done which hurt you was done against his will. I can also assure you that he has never attempted to prevent me from visiting with you."

Callen looked back at Hetty as he thought about what she had said. He wanted to believe her, but, he knew that he couldn't. She just didn't understand. "You weren't there, Hetty...you don't know what it was like. Sam has changed. Kensi and Deeks have too. I'm sure that they're against me and they're probably against you, as well. You need to watch yourself. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Don't worry, ," Hetty said sadly. "I'll be sure to take care. I won't let them hurt either of us. I can promise you that."

"Thank you, Hetty." Callen was suddenly very tired once again as he allowed his eyes to close. "I knew I could count on you…" he murmured, just before slipping back into sleep.

At that moment, Dr. Carlisle came into the room. "How's he doing?" he asked quietly.

"Perhaps you can tell me what your theory is about that," Hetty replied. "His state of mind isn't very good at all."

"No, no it isn't," the doctor said, nodding in agreement. "I'm pretty sure it's a side effect of the drug cocktail he was given. One of the drugs used can have these kinds of paranoid thoughts as a side effect."

"And how long do you expect that it will last?" Hetty asked.

"Perhaps another day or two, until the drug is totally out of his system. Hopefully, he won't become violent. If he does, I may have to sedate him, but I'm not sure if that could make matters even worse. I'm reluctant to add any more drugs into his system. If he gets out of hand, we may have to restrain him."

Hetty shook her head. "No, I don't want him in restraints. He's gone through enough already. He hasn't yet displayed any violent tendencies, has he?"

"Not that I know of," Dr. Carlisle responded. "He seems more afraid than anything."

Hetty sighed to herself. Callen openly displaying fear told her everything she needed to know about his current mindset. "Well, he seems very calm right now," Hetty said. "I'll stay with him until he's doing better."

Dr. Carlisle nodded. "I'll agree to that for now, however if he displays any violence towards any of my medical staff, we're going to have to rethink that."

"I understand, doctor," Hetty said, looking fondly at Callen, relatively sure he'd be okay as long as she was with him. "I think he'll be just fine."

xxxxx

"I can get out of here if you want," Sam said to Kensi reluctantly. He didn't particularly want to leave the hospital, but he felt like a third wheel hanging out in Deeks' room.

"You don't need to leave, Sam." Kensi gave him a surprised look. "Why would you even think that?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know. I'm going to go get something for lunch. Would you like something?"

Kensi looked over at Deeks who had remained asleep except for restlessly moving about every so often. "I guess so. Are you going to the cafeteria?"

"I was thinking of getting some pizza. There's a place nearby. I can get you something else if you'd rather though."

Kensi shook her head. "Pizza sounds good to me. Thank you, Sam."

"No problem. I'll be back in a little while."

After Sam left, Kensi went over to Deeks and tucked the blankets a little tighter around him. "Thanks, baby," Deeks said hoarsely when she had finished.

"Deeks…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't...not really," Deeks said. He looked around the room, surprised to see that they were alone. "Mr. Paranoia is gone?"

"Deeks, that's not nice. He can't help it."

"Yeah, I know...I'm sorry."

"So how are you feeling?" Kensi asked as she placed her hand gently on his forehead. "You feel a little cooler."

"I'm fine," Deeks said.

"Hmm...why don't I quite believe that?" Kensi asked.

"I don't know," Deeks said, smiling at her.

"You need to get plenty of rest," Kensi told him. "You developed an infection after the surgery. Not surprising considering you had one before the surgery too."

"I'll be okay. Don't worry about me."

"I always worry about you," Kensi leaned down and tenderly kissed his lips. "Sam's going to be bringing back some pizza. Maybe you'll feel up to having some?" she asked hopefully.

"I think I'll be able to manage a slice or two," Deeks said with a grin, "but until then, another kiss or two would be nice."

"I think that can be arranged." Kensi smiled as she kissed him once again.

xxxxx

"How could you...I trusted you," Callen called out as he tossed and turned in obvious distress.

"Mr. Callen...Grisha, wake up," Hetty called softly as she gently rubbed his shoulder.

Callen awoke abruptly and stared at her. "Grisha? Who said you could call me that? You NEVER call me that."

"I…" Hetty looked back at him bewildered at the change that had taken place in him. "I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry if I did."

"You're not sorry. I know you're working with them. I heard you…All of you are against me. I can't trust any of you! You're a traitor. You're all traitors!"

"I don't know what you think you heard," Hetty said gently, "but I assure you, I'm not working against you. I would never do that."

"I don't believe you," Callen said, narrowing his eyes menacingly, "but they shouldn't have sent you here alone. It was a very stupid of them and you…"


	43. Chapter 43

_Thanks for all the comments on the last chapter. I really appreciate those of you who support this and my other stories. It really means a lot to me :)_

xxxxx

"So, what is it you're going to do to me, Mr. Callen,?" Hetty asked calmly. "Shoot me? Or perhaps stab me? Do you have a weapon?"

"What?" Callen stared back at Hetty, appearing confused.

"Or if you don't have a weapon, I don't suppose it would be very difficult to take me out as I'm a much older woman. However, I am very well trained and you are in a weakened condition. I don't know. It's an interesting question indeed. Should we fight it out and see what happens?"

"I don't want to fight you, Hetty," Callen stated, looking very unsure of himself and the situation he found himself in. He really hadn't expected things to go in this direction.

"And I would never intentionally harm you...I do hope you realize that," Hetty said evenly.

"In case you've forgotten, you did taze me once." Callen's blue eyes seemed to darken as his hostility quickly rose to the surface again.

Hetty sighed. She remembered that day very well and regretted it, but he'd gone against her orders. She'd been very concerned and angry with him and had gotten carried away with her emotions. "I did...and I'm very sorry that happened."

"I wouldn't hurt you," Callen stated. "Not unless you forced me into it."

"Well, that's very nice to hear and I hope you know that I would never work with Bart against you, nor would any of your teammates. They're your family, Mr. Callen. We are _**all**_ your family."

Callen grabbed one of the water bottles from the top of the nightstand, opened it and took a few swallows of the cool liquid. When he had drank his fill, he laid down, his eyes still on Hetty. "I need to sleep...don't try anything."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Mr. Callen," Hetty said with a sad sigh, watching until he was asleep.

xxxxx

Against his better judgement, Sam decided to stop by his partner's room. The door was opened and he quietly stepped inside to see Hetty sitting by his sleeping friend's bedside. "How is he?" Sam asked, placing the pizzas he had bought on the bedside table.

"Mr. Hanna, you should not be here," Hetty scolded, her tone barely above a whisper. "You're going to get him all riled up again if he awakens and sees you here."'

"So I guess nothing has changed," Sam said, discouraged.

"Well, he's now suspicious of me as well, so in that aspect, things have changed," Hetty said. "You really need to leave, Sam."

"Are you alright? He didn't try to hurt you, did he?" Sam asked. As innocent as Callen looked in his sleep, Sam knew that could change in the blink of an eye.

"He's not going to hurt me, Sam," Hetty assured him. "He's more confused than anything right now. Hopefully, the drugs are beginning to leave his system. Now please go, before he wakes up. I don't want him to be unnecessarily upset."

"I brought an extra pizza in case the two of you might want it," Sam said, still reluctant to leave the room.

"Thank you, Sam. We'll take the pizza," Hetty said. She smiled, hoping to ease some of Sam's concerns.

"You better not tell G I brought it," Sam cautioned.

"I won't tell him." Hetty glanced at Callen as he moaned softly and moved about restlessly in his sleep. "Mr. Hanna, please…"

"Let me know if there's any change," Sam said as he picked up the pizzas, leaving Callen's favorite of pepperoni and sausage behind, and after looking back at his partner once more, he finally left the room.

xxxxx

"Hey look, it's Mr. Pizza Delivery Guy," Deeks quipped as Sam entered his room carrying the pizzas.

"You're a funny guy, Deeks," Sam said, grinning as he set the pizzas down. "I guess you must be feeling better."

"I'm not feeling too bad," Deeks said.

"That's good. Are you hungry?"

Deeks nodded. "Thanks for getting that for us."

"It's no problem." Sam handed one of the pizzas and some paper plates over to Kensi who put a slice on a plate and handed it to Deeks. "I can go get some soda at the vending machines," Sam offered.

Deeks shrugged. "No thanks. I'm good."

"I don't need anything either," Kensi replied. "We have water here which is fine with me."

"Okay," Sam said agreeably. The three team members quietly munched on the pizza before Sam spoke again. "I stopped by G's room before coming back here…'

"Really? Was that a good idea?" Kensi asked in surprise. "I thought we were going to keep away from Callen for the time being."

"He was asleep...He didn't see me," Sam said.

"Is he doing okay?" Kensi asked.

"Hetty said he's suspicious of her also now," Sam said.

"Maybe he should be placed in a locked ward until he's over all this paranoia," Deeks stated.

"Really Deeks?" Sam glared at the younger man as he put down his empty plate. "That's your solution? Just lock him up somewhere?"

"He may need psychiatric treatment," Deeks said. "Lots of people do. It's nothing to be ashamed of. You don't want him to hurt someone or to get himself hurt, do you?"

"Deeks, don't," Kensi shook her head at her fiance, easily recognizing that Sam was overtired and short-tempered.

"This stuff isn't his fault and it's a medical problem. He doesn't need to be locked up in the psych ward," Sam said, staunchly defending his partner. "You might not be doing so great either if you hadn't been able to eat or drink for days and then were poisoned on top of it."'

"Deeks isn't doing so great. He's still recovering also," Kensi snapped angrily. "And in case you don't remember, Deeks saved your ass back there when he shot Bart. If he hadn't, you'd be dead or lying in one of these hospital beds as well."

Sam stared at Kensi for a few long moments, letting her words sink in. He hadn't even thanked Deeks for saving him. "You're right, I'm sorry," Sam said, hanging his head. "I really appreciate what you did, Deeks. Thank you. You very likely saved my life."

"You're welcome," Deeks said, uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going. "I'm sorry I talked about Callen that way. I really do want him to be okay."

"I know you do," Sam said. Silence surrounded them once again and Sam suddenly stood up. "I'm going to go take a walk. I'll be back in a little while."

Neither of the younger team members tried to stop him. They just watched as Sam left the room.

xxxxx

After sleeping for a short time, Callen began to stir and he could smell the familiar odor of pizza in the room. He opened his eyes and saw Hetty, still in her place beside his bed. "Where'd the pizza come from?" he asked.

"I thought you might be hungry," Hetty said, trying not to directly lie to him. "It was delivered here."

"Oh…" He really wasn't hungry. Food still didn't have any appeal to him. All he seemed to want was water. He reached for the water bottle beside his bed and took a few small sips from it. "Go ahead and eat. Don't let me stop you."

Hetty sighed, opened the box and pulled out a slice of the now cold pizza. She considered going to heat it up but then just took a bite instead, finding it to be quite satisfying. "Are you sure you don't want some?" she asked after she had swallowed it.

"I don't think so," he shook his head. For a few moments he considered the thought that she had poisoned the pizza, but then put the thought out of his head. He was being ridiculous. Hetty would never poison him. At least he didn't think she would.

"You really should start eating," Hetty chided him gently. "Is there anything I can get for you? Something lighter perhaps? Soup or toast?"

"Maybe later...thanks…"

Hetty nodded, slightly hopeful that he was finally coming out from under the drug-induced paranoia he had been experiencing. "You get some rest, Mr. Callen," she said softly. "That's the best thing for you right now."

"Okay…" Callen nestled a bit more under the covers and it didn't take long before he fell back into a sound sleep.

xxxxx

Sam resisted the temptation to stop by G's room again and instead headed out of the hospital. There he found a small courtyard with flowers and benches. It was a peaceful and beautiful place. He suddenly felt inexplicably lonely. He was worried about his friend but felt like he couldn't talk to anyone about his feelings. He missed Michelle every day but some days, like today, it was just so much worse. He looked at his watch and knew that both his kids were in classes. Not that he could have unburdened himself to them, but he could have at least heard their voices. He really wished he could call his wife. Then again, if she was still alive, he wouldn't have to call her. He knew she would have been right there by his side. "I miss you, baby," he said, looking up at the sky with tears in his eyes. "I miss you so very much."


	44. Chapter 44

_Sorry about the delay in posting. I had a hard time getting back into this one after my surgery. I'm not exactly thrilled with this chapter, but I needed to start somewhere. Thanks for reading._

xxxxx

"Sam seems really down," Kensi said after he had left the room.

"I didn't mean to make him feel bad," Deeks stated. "I just thought…" He shook his head, appearing troubled. "Never mind."

"It's not you who made him feel bad," Kensi said, giving Deeks a hug. "It's the whole situation, everything that's happened. And now, his best friend doesn't want anything to do with him. It's bound to have an effect."

"Yeah, you're right…" Deeks said, not appearing like he particularly believed his own words.

"This is all Bart," Kensi said to Deeks, trying hard to make him believe what she was saying. "You know it is. All those games he played with us. There's no way we'd escape that without some kind of side effects. I don't think it would be humanly possible. He messed with our bodies and our minds."

Deeks nodded then sighed. "I guess this stuff isn't something you can just put behind you and move on from right away."

"No," Kensi said, shaking her head. "But eventually we will move on from it, Deeks. You know we can do it.

"Did I ever tell you just how much you mean to me?" Deeks asked, gazing lovingly at Kensi.

"I think you may have mentioned it once or twice," Kensi smiled as she cuddled against him and he wrapped his arm around her. "It isn't something I really ever tire of hearing though."

"Well then, I'll tell you again," he whispered as he tightened his hold on her. "You mean the world to me, Kensi Marie Blye. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone."

"And you mean the world to me as well," Kensi looked up at him as he lowered his head toward her and their lips met. "We're going to get through all of this, Deeks, the whole team...we're all going to be okay.

xxxxx

Hetty sighed as she sat by Callen's bed, watching him sleep. She really wished he would take a turn for the better. It was difficult not knowing how he was going to react each time he awoke from sleep. She became so lost in her thoughts, that she didn't even notice Callen's blue eyes were open and focused on her. "Mr. Callen," she said, unable to totally hide her surprise. "I thought you were asleep. How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess," Callen replied softly. "How are you?"

"Me? Oh I'm fine, just fine," Hetty said. "Can I get you anything? Something to eat or drink perhaps?"

Callen thought about it for a few moments but then shook his head. "No thank you."

"Did Sam go home?"

"No, Mr. Hanna stepped out for a bit. I'm sure he'll be back soon...unless you'd rather not see him?"

Callen gave Hetty a puzzled look. "Why wouldn't I want to see him?"

"Oh, I just think you look tired and might want to get some rest."

"But I just woke up."

"Yes, yes you did," Hetty said with an odd little chuckle. "Don't mind me, I guess you're not the only one who might be a bit tired."

"You should go home and get some rest," Callen said. "I'm fine by myself, Hetty. Like you said, I probably will want to get some rest soon."

"I think we should visit for a bit now, don't you?"

"Whatever you'd like," Callen said with a faint smile.

"Are you sure I can't get you something to eat?" Hetty asked. He looked very pale to her and she couldn't help but be worried about him.

"I'm really not hungry."

"Okay," Hetty said, nodding. At this point, she wasn't particularly inclined to irritate him. "Let me text Mr. Hanna and find out where he's at."

"You don't have to," Callen said. "I don't want to bother him."

"Oh, Mr. Callen...you would never be a bother to him. Trust me on that."

Callen nodded and reached for the remote control to his bed to move himself up into more of a sitting position. Then he tried to adjust the pillow to fluff it up a little bit more.

"Comfortable?" Hetty asked, smiling. Sam had been outside the hospital and was on his way up to see his partner.

"I'm good."

There was a long silence before Callen spoke up again. "How are Kensi and Deeks doing?"

"Mr. Deeks is coming along," Hetty said. "And as you can imagine, Ms. Blye is constantly by his side."

"They're lucky to have each other," Callen said, looking wistful for a moment.

"Yes, yes they are, but you have plenty of people who care about you as well. You know that, don't you?" She still had moments when she worried about him and the effect his early years still might have on him. As long ago as it was, she knew there were things in life that people were never able to totally put behind them.

"Of course," Callen said, nodding. He swallowed uneasily, feeling a sudden burst of queasiness.

"Are you alright?" Hetty asked, not missing the expression on his face and the fact that he suddenly appeared even more pale than he had been.

"I feel kind of nauseous all of a sudden," Callen admitted.

"Let me call someone. They can give you something."

Callen nodded but his stomach suddenly rebelled. "I...I think I'm going to be sick."

Hetty grabbed a basin from the top of his nightstand and he took it from her as his stomach continued to heave. Nothing came up though and he finally leaned back against the pillows appearing miserable and exhausted. "I wonder if I'm ever going to get better," he whispered.

"Of course you are, Mr. Callen," Hetty said, patting his hand. "Unfortunately, I think it's just going to take some time."

Just then, Sam entered the room, smiling. Once he saw the state of his partner though, the smile faded. "G? You okay?"

"He's feeling quite sick to his stomach again, Sam," Hetty answered when Callen failed to respond to Sam's question.

"Did you call someone?" Sam asked. He couldn't help but wonder what the hell kind of poison Bart had put into G's system and when and if it was going to wear off. Or maybe this was from the drug cocktail. In either case, both mentally and physically, the effects were brutal. He wondered how much more his friend could take.

"I just did," Hetty said, her eyes on Callen who appeared to have dozed off.

"Damn, Hetty," Sam said, pulling up the other chair in the room to sit beside her. "When is this going to end?"

"I wish I knew, Mr. Hanna," Hetty said. "I really wish I knew."

xxxxx

"Kensi!" Deeks' scream startled Kensi from her nap. She turned to Deeks and saw that he was tossing and turning fretfully in his bed, his face covered with perspiration.

"Deeks? Deeks, sweetheart, wake up," She brushed his hair back and murmured comfortingly to him until his eyes opened.

"Kensi?" He looked at her, his blue eyes filled with emotion. "Kensi? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, honey. You're the one I'm worried about. Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head, appearing sad and vulnerable. "No...not really…Any word on Callen?" he asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"I haven't heard anything," Kensi said, wishing she knew how to help Deeks to feel better. "Can I do anything for you? Get you something to drink, maybe?"

He shook his head silently, still appearing troubled.

"How about a sponge bath?" Kensi asked, a faint smile on her lips.

Deeks looked at her with definite interest in his eyes. "A sponge bath? Really?"

"I think that's the least I can do for you, don't you?" Kensi asked, smiling at him playfully. "Hopefully, that will help you feel better."

"It definitely couldn't hurt," Deeks said.

"Okay then. I'll be right back." Kensi opened the drawer to Deeks' nightstand and pulled out a plastic basin, then went into the bathroom where she found some liquid body soap, a washcloth, and a bottle of spray-on shampoo. She filled the basin with some warm water and then poured some soap into it. She then brought the basin over to Deeks' bedside table and soaked the washcloth in the warm water. "Oh, I should get you a clean Johnny." She went into the dresser and pulled one out of the top drawer then came and sat by Deeks on his bed. "All set?"

Deeks nodded, smiling as Kensi helped him out of the Johnny. Then she wrung out the washcloth and gently began to wash his chest. "Is the water temperature okay?"

"It's perfect, baby," he said with a contented sigh as she had him lean forward so she could wash his back. "This is really nice."

Kensi continued until she had finished the entire upper half of his body. "Umm… now what?" she asked.

"You're not just going to stop, are you?" he asked with a teasing grin.

"Well...I don't want to um...make you overly excited. I can wash your legs and feet..."

Deeks chuckled. "That's fine, baby." In all honesty, he wasn't really feeling up to any more strenuous activities anyway.

Kensi completed the sponge bath, then took the shampoo and sprayed it generously onto his scalp, then massaged it through his hair. "You want me to comb it?" she asked when she was finished.

Deeks shook his head and began to style it with his fingers. "Nah, this is good." He then smiled at her. "Thank you, Fern. I feel so much better."

"I'm glad," she said, intertwining her fingers with his. "Anything else I can do for you?"

"No, I'm good, baby. Just sit with me. That's all I need right now.

"You've got it, Deeks," Kensi said as she cuddled against him, feeling more content than she had since this whole mess had begun.

xxxxx

"I have to say, this is the most challenging case I've come across in quite some time." Dr. Carlisle stood with Sam and Hetty outside of Callen's room. "Some of his latest blood tests are beginning to normalize but others are still highly abnormal.

"So what are we talking here. Doc?" Sam asked.

"At the moment, I'm not seeing anything life threatening. For now, I guess our best strategy is to treat his symptoms as they arise. His mental status seems to be back to baseline. Hopefully, his other symptoms will follow suit.

"And if they don't?" Sam asked.

"Let's not borrow trouble, Mr. Hanna," Hetty said, placing her hand on Sam's upper arm. "For now, we'll trust that Mr. Callen will begin to feel better and hopefully can get out of this situation once and for all.


	45. Chapter 45

_Well...I finally managed to get my head back into this one after an unforgivably long time. I'm really sorry about the delay and I'm so grateful to everyone who has been reading and commenting up until this point. To anyone still reading (If you're still out there) I'll try to do better and I appreciate your patience._

xxxxx

Callen slept for a couple of hours and woke up late in the afternoon. Hetty was dozing in the reclining chair by his bed. Sam was sitting in the other, not so comfortable chair, awake.

"Hey," Callen said, setting his eyes on his partner.

"Hi buddy...how are you doing?" Sam spoke tentatively, unsure as to which version of his friend he was going to get.

"I...I'm okay, I guess," Callen said. As he spoke, he realized that he really did seem to be feeling better. Then again, he'd felt better before and then would feel like crap again just as quickly, so he wasn't going to get his hopes up. "You should take Hetty home. Both of you should get some rest."

"I'll decide when I need to rest, Mr. Callen," Hetty said as she opened her eyes and peered at him, a faint smile on her face. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I am," Callen replied with a nod.

"Would you like some water?" Hetty asked.

Callen nodded and Sam quickly handed him a bottle of water. "Thanks, Sam." Callen opened the bottle, took a couple of long sips and then replaced the cap. "Seriously...you two should leave."

"Why the big rush to get rid of us, G?" Sam asked curiously. "You planning an escape?"

Callen shook his head. "Even if I was, I'm not up to trying it," he admitted, then smirked. "At least not yet."

"Not funny, Mr. Callen," Hetty said, trying not to smile. He really was incorrigible, but she could see that he did seem to be doing a bit better.

"You know you love me, Hetty," Callen teased.

"Yes, I do," Hetty said seriously. "But, I hope you're not planning on leaving the hospital before you're officially released."

Callen sighed. "Don't worry, Hetty. I won't be trying anything like that." He was still feeling far from his normal self, but not having a headache or feeling like he was about to throw up were huge improvements as far as he was concerned.

"Are you hungry?" Sam asked. "I could get you something, anything you want, just name it."

Callen quickly shook his head, not yet willing to test the limits of what his stomach could handle.

"You really need to start eating," Hetty urged gently. "You're not going to regain your strength if you don't."

"I know, and I will," Callen said, trying to reassure her. "Just not yet."

"Alright," Hetty agreed. She could see the anxiety in his eyes, as much as he tried to hide it. She didn't want to make his recovery any more difficult on him than it already was.

Just then, Dr. Carlisle came into the room. "Hello. Mr Callen, how are you feeling this afternoon?" he asked as he approached Callen's bedside.

"Better," Callen said.

"Good, good." The doctor glanced at the notations on his chart. "You feel up to eating anything?"

Callen made a face. "I don't think so."

"Tomorrow then," Dr. Carlisle said. "Even if it's just nutrition shakes to begin with. You need to start to build yourself back up. It's the only way you're going to get well."

Callen nodded. "I'll eat something tomorrow."

"Okay. Someone will be in to draw your blood soon. I want to keep close a close eye on your labs."

"Thanks," Callen said.

"I have to say I'm pleased with how you're doing," Dr. Carlisle said. "I'm heading home for the night but Dr. Madison will be covering for me. If you have any problems at all, make sure you tell a nurse. We want to keep on top of this. Keep up the good work. " He then headed out.

"Good work?" Callen mumbled after he had left. "What am I doing that's so good? I'm just lying here doing nothing."

"Come now, Mr. Callen," Hetty said. "Think positively. Now, I think you should try to get some more sleep. It's the best thing for you."

Callen nodded and fussed with his pillows before settling back against them. He hated feeling so tired all the time, but he couldn't seem to keep awake for very long at all. He hoped that wasn't going to last long. "I still say you two should go home," he said before closing his eyes and falling back to sleep.

Hetty watched him for a bit, a fond smile on her face before she turned to Sam. "I think I'm going to go pay Mr. Deeks and Miss Blye a visit and then I'm going to grant Mr. Callen his wish and head home."

Sam nodded. "I think that's a good idea. I'm going to stay with him...Unless he kicks me out," he added with a grin.

"Let's hope that doesn't happen," Hetty said as she stood up and made her way to the door. "I understand you want to stay with him, but do try to get some rest, Mr. Hanna. That reclining chair is actually quite comfortable."

"Drive safely," Sam said. He then went over to the recliner and settled down to see if he could get a bit of rest.

xxxxx

Hetty quietly entered Deeks' room and smiled when she saw the two junior team members cuddled together on the bed, fast asleep. Not wanting to disturb them, she turned to leave but was stopped by Kensi's voice. "Hetty? Is everything okay?"

"I'm so sorry, dear," Hetty said softly. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Kensi carefully moved away from Deeks and sat on the edge of the bed. "I was just dozing. Is Callen okay?"

"I'm happy to say he's doing better right now. How about Mr. Deeks?"

"He was running a fever earlier. His doctor changed his antibiotic so hopefully he'll start improving."

"You've all had quite a time," Hetty said, then sighed. She couldn't help but feel guilty whenever she thought about Bart's twisted reasoning for what he had done to them. She didn't think it was anything she'd ever be able to totally get over, especially when she saw how badly they were all affected. She knew they had all gone through hell.

"Hetty? We're going to be okay." Kensi took the older woman's hand and squeezed it gently. "It's just going to take a bit of time, but I promise we're all going to get through this."

"She's right."

Hetty and Kensi both turned their eyes toward Deeks, his hair tousled and his eyes heavy-lidded from sleep. "I'm sorry we woke you, honey," Kensi said, placing a kiss on his cheek.

"It's okay. I'm kind of hungry anyhow," Deeks said. "What time is it?"

"It's a little after 5," Hetty said. "They were delivering dinner trays on the other side of the floor. They should be here soon. Unless there's something I can get for you?"

Kensi shook her head. "That's not necessary, Hetty. You should go home before it gets too late."

Hetty chuckled lightly. "Everyone is telling me to go home. It's making me feel unwanted."

"You mean Callen?" Deeks asked. "How is he doing?"

"He's improved quite a bit since earlier today," Hetty said. "Mentally he seems to be pretty much back to normal and he says he's feeling better."

"Well, that's good to hear," Kensi said. "I'm glad he's finally doing better. Sam must be relieved."

"Yes," Hetty said with a nod. "Mr. Hanna is most definitely glad to see his partner improving."

They chatted for a short time and then Hetty decided to leave the couple on their own. "I'm glad to see you doing better, Mr. Deeks. Do as the doctors say and you'll be out of here before you know it."

"Thanks, Hetty," Deeks said. "We'll see you soon."

"I'll be back tomorrow," Hetty said. "Good night."

After Hetty left, the dinner tray was delivered shortly afterwards. "Care to make a wager?" Deeks asked, looking at the domed plate on the tray.

"If it's edible, you mean?" Kensi asked.

Deeks nodded. "You read my mind." He reached over to the cover and removed it from the plate. Underneath he found what looked like salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, a mixture of peas and carrots and a dinner roll with a pad of butter. There was a cup of chocolate pudding off to the side. "Uhhhh...it looks okay…"

Kensi smiled at Deeks trying to put on a brave face. "I can go get you something. I need to get something for myself anyway."

Deeks breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, baby. Just a sandwich or whatever. Just something edible would be good."

"Okay. I'll be back soon. You be good," Kensi said.

"Always," Deeks replied, watching as she left the room, and thinking how lucky he was to have her in his life.

xxxxx

Callen awoke at a little after 6 pm and saw Sam fast asleep in the recliner. Feeling chilled, he pressed the call button for a nurse.

"What can I do for you?" a perky young nurse asked as she entered the room a few minutes later.

"Could I get a blanket, please?" Callen asked.

"Of course," she said, smiling at him. "I know you didn't have dinner. I could get you something light if you feel up to it. Toast maybe?"

Callen considered the question briefly and then nodded. "Okay...I'll try some toast, thank you."

"I'll be back shortly," she said.

Callen nodded and pulled the covers more tightly around him before focusing on his partner again. Sam had to be really exhausted not to have heard the nurse come into the room. He knew he couldn't be comfortable and wished he'd go home and get some rest. It appeared that Hetty had done so. At least he thought she had since she wasn't there.

A short time later, the nurse came back into the room carrying a blanket and a plate with two slices of toast. "Here you are," she said, placing it on his bedside table. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

Callen shook his head. "No thanks. This is perfect."

The nurse left the room and Callen took a tentative first bite which tasted good to him. He then proceeded to eat with a bit more enthusiasm.

"Good to see you eating, G," Sam said after a few minutes.

"Hey, Sam. You're finally awake," Callen commented after finishing the last bite of the second slice of toast.

"Guess I was a little more tired than I realized." Sam gazed at his partner thoughtfully for a long moment. "So...you feel up to talking?"

"About?" Callen was partly curious, but also apprehensive, not wanting to get into any heavy topics.

"About what happened...about me hurting you…"

"What? No. I don't want to talk about that," Callen said emphatically. "It wasn't your choice, Sam. You need to just forget about it. I have."

"No you haven't," Sam said. "You might even believe you have, but inside, on some level, it's eating away at you."

"So you're saying Kensi is feeling the same way about Deeks?" Callen asked. "That's simply not true, Sam. She doesn't blame him and I don't blame you. Choices were made. Hard choices that were forced on us. Bart's the only one to blame in all of this."

"And I chose to hurt you over Deeks."

"And Deeks chose to hurt Kensi over letting that freak beat me to a pulp. Come on...I don't blame you. You should know that."

Sam sighed heavily as he met Callen's gaze, his eyes filled with guilt. "You said it, buddy," he said softly.

"What did I say?" Callen asked, his eyes filled with confusion. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I know you don't," Sam said. "It was when you weren't doing well. You were afraid of me. You were upset because…" Even now Sam had a problem really facing what he had done. "Because I whipped you. You said you couldn't trust me. You were sorry we were ever partners…"

"Sam…" Callen shook his head slowly as he absorbed what his friend was telling him. "You've got to believe me...I don't feel like that. Whatever I said was because of the drugs or whatever. I would never feel that way. You're my best friend. I know you had no choice. In any case, I told you to do it. It's not like I didn't want you to."

"Even so…"

"Please," Callen said, his eyes intense. "Don't let Bart win this one too, Sam. I think he's won enough battles in all this. We need to get ourselves together now and win the war. If anything, we need to give him back at least some of what he deserves. That's what I want. Then we need to try to put all of this behind us once and for all."


	46. Chapter 46

_AN: Forgot to attach this when I first posted it. I know it's been forever between updates and I apologize for that. In any case, there's an end in sight and I'm trying to finish this up soon now. I have another story I want to get to but I'm not allowing myself to start it until this one is finished. In any case, for anyone still reading, thank you so much. I appreciate it. :)_

xxxxx

"Okay, G...I'll do what you want," Sam said. At the moment, he would have done pretty much anything in the world for his partner. Having to watch him be deprived of food and water, and having to hurt him on top of everything...these things weren't anything he was going to get over any time soon. As for getting back at Bart. He was definitely onboard with that and was sure Kensi and Deeks would be as well.

"Thank you, Sam," Callen said quietly. He then yawned and covered his mouth with his hand, suddenly very tired once again. "You should go home...get some food...get some rest."

Sam didn't answer, just watched as his friend fell into what he hoped would be a peaceful sleep. G didn't seem able to stay awake for very long at all, but he supposed that would get better as he improved. It didn't seem like it would be the quickest recovery, but what was important was that he was getting better. That was all he cared about. He decided to go and get himself something to eat in the cafeteria, but then he would return. He wasn't yet comfortable leaving his friend alone for the night.

xxxxx

The next morning, Deeks awoke bright and early. He was glad to see Kensi still asleep, curled up on the reclining chair under a blanket. He knew how worried she had been about him, but worry went both ways and he didn't want her to exhaust herself, being so concerned about him that she neglected her own wellbeing.

"Good morning," a young nurse said softly, being mindful of Kensi as she rolled her cart into the room to take Deek's latest set of vitals.

"Good morning." Deeks extended his arm so she could wrap the blood pressure cuff around it. She then proceeded to take his temperature, then checked his pulse and oxygen saturation.

When she was finished, the nurse smiled at Deeks. "Everything looks good. Someone will be in with your breakfast soon. Buzz if you need anything at all." She left the room and Deeks turned his head towards Kensi who was now awake.

"Good morning, sunshine."

"Good morning." Kensi got out of the chair and leaned over the bed to give Deeks a kiss. "How are you feeling?"

"Surprisingly good. I'm thinking I may be able to get out of here today."

"Oh that's what you're thinking, is it?" Kensi asked with a smile. She was glad he was feeling well, but was also relatively sure he wasn't up to being released quite yet.

"It's good to hear my patient sounding so positive," Dr. Bolton said as he stepped into Deeks' room. "However, I can tell you, without a doubt, that you're not ready to leave here quite yet. You've gone through some extenuating circumstances and I'm afraid you are going to be with us just a little bit longer."

Deeks sighed heavily but didn't say anything. Instead, he endured yet another exam without complaint. "So...do you have any idea when I might be able to leave here?" he asked when the doctor had completed his chart notations.

"Well, if you remain fever-free, I may let you go tomorrow," Dr. Bolton said. "Try to do a bit of walking today and see how you feel. We'll see how you're doing tomorrow morning and I'll make my decision then."

"Thanks, Doc," Deeks said, grinning at Kensi as the doctor headed out. "You hear that, baby? Tomorrow."

"Hopefully," Kensi cautioned, but she was as happy as Deeks to hear such good news. It was another big step towards putting this whole nightmare behind them.

xxxxx

Callen slept relatively peacefully through the night, except for when nurses woke him for vital sign checks. He had to admit, seeing Sam there with him, gave him some measure of comfort. He knew his emotions weren't as in control as they usually were and he wasn't sure if that was because of the poison, the meds or just the whole situation in general. He liked to think it was the meds, not wanting to think Bart had any kind of affect on him.

"I can practically see the wheels spinning in your head," Sam said, his eyes immediately going to his partner when he woke up. "What's going on with you?"

"Did you even eat anything last night?" Callen asked, ignoring Sam's question.

"I did," Sam stated, looking at his friend curiously. "Are you okay, G?"

Callen nodded with a small sigh. "I'm fine, Sam. Just tired of being here and before you say anything, I know I have to be." At that moment, a dietary aide came into the room and placed a tray on Callen's bedside table. "Thanks," Callen said wearily. He wasn't particularly hungry, but knew his strength wasn't going to come back if he didn't start eating. He picked up the plastic dome and inspected the contents underneath, scrambled eggs, toast, apple sauce and a cup of mixed fruit. He slowly began to work on the eggs and eventually finished almost the entire breakfast.

"Impressive," Sam said, glad to see his partner eating once again.

"It was," Callen said, a faint smile on his lips.

"I know it's not easy for you to eat," Sam said understandingly. "You've got to start somewhere though. You did good, buddy."

"You should eat too," Callen said. He'd given up on trying to get Sam to leave, but at the very least, the big guy needed to eat and rest as well as he could.

"I'll go to the cafeteria soon." Sam was even considering going back to his boat for a shower and change of clothes, but he wasn't sure. In any case, he was going to wait until Hetty came before he even thought of doing that. He looked at his partner thoughtfully. Callen's restlessness was a good indicator that he was starting to improve, but he also knew that boredom would be the next foe they'd be up against.

Just then, Dr. Carlisle entered the room. Sam immediately got to his feet. "I'll give you some privacy," he said before exiting the room.

"So, how are you feeling today?" Dr. Carlisle asked as he scanned over the notes in Callen's chart.

"I'm fine," Callen replied.

The doctor nodded as he listened to Callen's heartbeat, then nodded approvingly. "I've gotten some good reports on your blood tests. Everything seems to be trending positively."

"Yeah?" Callen brightened upon hearing that. "So, maybe I can get out of here soon?"

"I need to make sure your condition continues to improve before we can talk about that."

"Can't you do that on an outpatient basis?" Callen asked.

Dr. Carlisle gave Callen an amused look. "Is it really that bad here?" he asked. "You have a private room. If it's the food, you can have whatever you'd like from outside. You can eat whatever you feel you can tolerate."

"It's not the food," Callen said. "I just think I'd recover better at home."

"We can discuss that when we're sure you've really stabilized. I wouldn't be any kind of a doctor at all if I let you leave right now. You need to remember how sick you've been and that you came very close to dying. Continue to eat and drink as well as you can and get plenty of rest. Those are the things that are going to get you out of here."

Callen nodded as the doctor smiled encouragingly and left the room. Sam couldn't help but notice Callen's glum expression when he came back and was immediately concerned. "Something wrong?"

"No…" Callen began and then went on. "I have no idea when I'm going to get out of this place."

Sam shook his head, a trace of a smile on his lips. "Come on now...do you even know how sick you were? You're lucky to be alive, buddy. I know it sucks but you can't rush this."

Callen sighed heavily, but didn't complain any further. He knew everyone was right. It just didn't mean he had to like it.

xxxxx

"Why don't we go see Callen and Sam?" Deeks suggested mid-morning. He was bored and wanted to test his walking ability.

"Okay, but we should bring the wheelchair. Callen's room isn't that close."

Deeks rolled his eyes. "Really?" I think I'm fine, Kens. Besides, didn't Callen make it here when he was practically out of his head?"

"This has nothing to do with Callen. We're bringing it just in case you get tired."

"Come on…" Deeks pleaded one more time. "I really don't need it."

Kensi shook her head. "If you're fine, you don't need to sit in it, but we are bringing it, Deeks. No argument. If you don't agree, we can stay here all day."

Deeks tried one more pleading look, but Kensi remained unmoved. "Fine," he said with a sigh.

"I thought you'd see it my way," Kensi said with a satisfied smile.

xxxxx

At a little after 11, Callen and Sam were in the middle of a card game when Deeks walked steadily into the room, followed by Kensi who was pushing the empty wheelchair. "Hey guys," Sam said. "Looking good, Deeks."

"Thanks." Deeks walked over to Callen. "You look like you're doing a lot better than the last time we saw you. How are you feeling?"

"I'm doing good," Callen said.

"I'll go get another chair," Sam said as he got up from the one he was sitting on.

"No need," Deeks said, grinning at Kensi. "I'll sit in the wheelchair."

Kensi sat in the other empty chair and Sam sat down again. "So, anything new?" Sam asked, hoping they would have something entertaining to say to distract his partner.

"I think I'm getting out of here tomorrow," Deeks replied.

Sam cast a quick glance at Callen who didn't appear outwardly bothered to hear that. He only hoped it wasn't bothering him too much on the inside. "That's great."

"Hopefully, all of us will be back home where we belong really soon," Kensi said with a sympathetic look at Callen. She could well imagine how he was feeling being cooped up in the hospital, especially now that he seemed to be doing so much better.

"I'm sure that will be the case," Sam said. "G's getting better every day."

"Well, isn't this nice, my little flock all gathered together and looking quite well," Hetty said, smiling as she walked into Callen's room. "How are you all doing today?"

"Just like you said, Hetty. We're doing well." Deeks said.

"Sit here, Hetty," Sam said, getting up and quickly going off in search of another chair.

Hetty took the offered seat and sat down by Callen. "And how are you feeling, Mr. Callen?"

"I'm good, Hetty. Definitely doing much better."

"That's very good to hear," Hetty said as she patted Callen's hand and smiled at him fondly. She then directed her gaze towards Deeks. "It's good to see you getting around, Mr. Deeks."

"I actually walked over here," Deeks said, realizing he was in the wheelchair. "Kensi just insisted we bring this thing along."

"That was very wise of you, Miss Blye," Hetty said, nodding in approval. "No need to take unnecessary risks that could result in a setback."

Kensi smiled at Hetty and Deeks rolled his eyes, but he didn't say anything, knowing full well it would make no sense to try to go up against the two women. He wouldn't have a chance in hell.

"So, since we're all here together," Hetty paused to smile at Sam as he re-entered the room, carrying a chair. "I think a nice lunch is in order, don't you? Not pizza or burgers either. Lunch from a good restaurant. Any suggestions?"

No one said anything, as the team members exchanged looks. The whole topic of food was still an uncomfortable one for them. "G?" Sam finally asked, his eyes on his partner. "What do you feel like eating?"

Callen sighed softly, knowing he was on the forefront of everyone's thoughts. "I'm not sure what's close by to where we are…"

Hetty nodded. "Good point. Let me go out and ask at the front desk. They must have some suggestions."

"I'll go." Kensi said, quickly getting to her feet. "Be right back." She returned a few minutes later, holding a small stack of menus. "They get takeout here often." Kensi hesitated briefly then handed the menus to Callen.

Callen took the menus and started looking through them. One of restaurants, called Warren's Place, had a wide variety that he was pretty sure everyone would be happy with. "This one looks good." He decided what he wanted then handed the menu off to Hetty. A short time later, Sam phoned in the order then he and Kensi went to pick it up.

"So...here we are..." Hetty said. She hadn't been alone with Callen and Deeks since before all of this had happened.

"If you want to say something, just say it," Callen said, not even trying to hide his frustration.

"No reason to get testy, Mr. Callen. I'm just wondering how the two of you are really doing, now that your partners aren't here. There's no need to hide anything."

"I don't know about Deeks, but I'm not hiding anything," Callen stated. "I'm fine."

"Well, I'm certainly not either," Deeks said quickly. "What exactly are you getting at, Hetty?"

"Nothing in particular. It's just that you two were hurt the most in all of this and Bart played some nasty psychological games as well. I'm a good listener if you'd like to talk."

"Kensi and I have been working through things," Deeks said softly. "We're good."

"I'm glad to hear that," Hetty said.

"I know one thing I'd like to talk about," Callen said, a touch of anger in his eyes. "I'd like to find a way to get back at Bart for everything he put us through. Prison isn't good enough for him after what he did."

Hetty shook her head sadly. "Oh Mr. Callen, if you're suggesting what I think you are, the time for that is past. He's in custody now. Unless you want to end up in prison yourself…"

"I'm not saying we should kill him," Callen snapped. "I just…" He shook his head in frustration. "I just want to do something… there has to be some way we can give him a taste of his own medicine. As far as he's concerned, he's won. I don't even think he cares that he's going back to prison."

Hetty nodded understandingly. "That's something we can certainly think about, but for now, I just want you to focus on getting better, alright?"

Callen nodded. "Whatever you say, Hetty."

"Don't just pay me lip service, and don't even think about going near Bart. In any case, I've ordered all agents on guard duty not to let any of you into his room. Whatever plan we come up with, will involve all of us or none of us. No lone wolf crap and that means you, Mr. Callen."

"I wasn't even thinking of doing anything," Callen protested, a little put out that she was singling him out this way. In all honesty, he wasn't yet up to facing off against Bart on his own, even if he had a plan, which he didn't.

"Hey, we'll come up with something, Callen. Don't worry," Deeks said soothingly, recognizing Callen's aggravated state of mind. "We'll get back at that son of a bitch somehow."


	47. Chapter 47

_Sorry, I realize this chapter is a bit of a snooze lol. I am getting near the end - I promise. In any case, I really appreciate those of you who are continuing to support this story. It really means a lot to me. Thanks so much :)_

xxxxx

The team lunch was a nice one. The food was good and both Sam and Hetty were pleased to see Callen eat over three-quarters of the steak tip dinner he had ordered. Hetty had been afraid it might be too heavy for him, but she hadn't said anything, not wanting to discourage him from eating anything he might want. In any case, he seemed to tolerate it well. After lunch, they spent some time making small talk about light-hearted things, keeping the topics away from medical issues and Bart.

At a little bit after three, Sam stood up. "So, I'm going to head to the boat to take a shower and get a change of clothes. You want anything while I'm gone, G?"

Callen shrugged. "I don't think so, Sam." He actually wanted his laptop but it was at the office and he didn't want to make his partner go there to retrieve it.

Sam looked at Callen dubiously, not quite believing him. "Are you sure? It's no trouble, whatever you want."

"Perhaps your laptop?" Hetty asked. Callen gave her a surprised look, wondering if she had picked up mind reading skills, perhaps from some gypsy fortune tellers over the years.

"It's at the office...I don't need it."

"I believe Mr. Beale and Ms. Jones are coming here after work today. It will be no trouble for them to bring it."

"Really? Well okay then, that would be good," Callen said. "I really need to start working on my report for this whole mess."

"I'm not having them bring it for you to work," Hetty said. "Read stories, play games, do jigsaw puzzles, or write your memoirs. I just want it to give you something to do, not for you to work. In fact, I insist that you do not work."

"My memoirs?" Callen asked in amusement. "Who on earth would be interested in reading that?"

"I would be your first customer in line for an autographed copy," Hetty said, smiling at him.

"I'll hold you to that, Hetty."

"So are we in agreement then? No working."

Callen nodded. "Fine, Hetty. I promise. No working."

"Okay, I'll be back soon," Sam said. "I can see you're in good hands, G."

"Sam, you know, it's perfectly okay if you stay at the boat for the night," Callen said. "Get a good night's sleep for a change. Come back tomorrow."

Sam hesitated for a few moments. "I'll think about it, G. I'll see you later."

"Bye Sam," Callen was pretty sure Sam wouldn't take him up on his offer, but he hoped he would.

At 4:30, Kensi and Deeks decided to head back to their room. Deeks was tired but insisted on walking back. "We'll see you tomorrow, Callen, okay?"

"Take care, Deeks. I really hope you're able to be released," Callen said earnestly. He couldn't help but be envious about Deeks getting out of the hospital, but he hoped for the best for his younger teammate.

"Thanks, Callen. Like Kensi said, you'll be out of here soon, as well," Deeks said. He and Kensi then left and headed back to his room.

xxxxx

"So, I think Callen seems a lot better, don't you?" Kensi asked, after Deeks was safely back in his bed and she had finished fussing over the sheet and blanket covering him, much to Deeks' amusement.

"I did," Deeks said with a nod. "Much better."

"I really do hope you can go home tomorrow," Kensi said. "Monty must miss you terribly."

"I think he misses both of his parents," Deeks said. "I miss him too. It'll be good to see him."

"Definitely," Kensi agreed. "So...are you going to stick with the hospital menu tonight or do you want me to get you something? I'll be heading down the cafeteria later to get myself some dinner."

"Why don't we just see what they bring me," Deeks suggested. He didn't have particularly high hopes for it, but he could be wrong. In any case, if he was released the next day, he'd be able to have whatever he wanted to eat, whenever he wanted. "We're going to have to clean out the fridge when we get home...There's going to be a lot of spoiled food in there."

Kensi wrinkled up her nose in distaste. "Don't remind me. I don't even want to think about it."

Deeks grinned. "Sorry I brought it up, baby. Let's not think about it until we have to."

Just then, Nell and Eric came into the room. Eric was carrying a large stuffed Snoopy and Woodstock with get well balloons and Nell had a large stuffed Scooby Doo, also with get well balloons. "Hmm...I wonder which one is mine," Deeks said with a grin.

"We couldn't have you in here without your best friend," Nell said teasingly. "When I saw it, I just couldn't resist."

"That's really cute," Kensi said, admiring it.

"Thanks, guys," Deeks said.

"You're welcome." Eric put Callen's gift down on the edge of Deeks' bed. "So, how are you doing? You look well."

"I'm doing good," Deeks replied. "I'm hopefully getting out of here tomorrow."

"So soon?" Nell asked. "Well, that's good news."

"Not soon enough for me," Deeks said. "I can't wait to get out of this place."

"I imagine that's true," Nell said. "The sooner you can try to put all of this behind you, the better off you'll be."

"Sometimes that's easier said than done though," Deeks said. Kensi gave him a curious look but didn't say anything.

"So, can we get you anything?" Eric asked. "I have no problem with running out for you."

Deeks shook his head. "No thanks. I've been very well taken care of since I've been here."

"And Callen?" Nell asked. "How's he doing? Do you think there's anything we could bring him?"

"He's definitely doing better," Deeks replied. "He's improved a lot."

"There's a little ice cream place down in the main lobby," Kensi said. "You may want to get him a shake or something from there. I think it would be a nice treat for him."

Nell nodded. "Okay. We'll go there before we go to see him."

The four friends then chatted easily for a short while before Eric and Nell decided to head out to go visit Callen.

xxxxx

Hetty sat by her sleeping boy, happy about the turnaround in his health. She had been so afraid he wasn't going to make it and to see him doing so well now seemed like a miracle. She was praying he would continue to progress with his recovery and that he wouldn't experience any setbacks.

"Hi Hetty," Nell whispered as she and Eric came into the room.

"Hello, Ms. Jones, Mr. Beale." Hetty gave a welcoming smile to the two technical team members. "It's good to see you."

"We don't want to wake Callen," Nell said softly, sitting beside Hetty and putting down the large chocolate shake they had gotten for Callen on his bedside table.

"I'm sure he'd like to see the two of you," Hetty said. "If he doesn't wake on his own soon, I'll wake him."

"Deeks said he's doing a lot better though?" Nell asked, sounding a little bit nervous.

"Yes, dear," Hetty said reassuringly. "I'm happy to say he's made a remarkable improvement."

"That's good news."

"Definitely," Eric said as he put Callen's laptop on his bed and the Snoopy stuffed dog on the nightstand.

"Hey, guys," Callen said as he looked at his visitors sleepily. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you," Nell said as she gave him a gentle hug and kissed his cheek. "We've been really worried about you."

"I'm doing a lot better," Callen said. He reached for the control button to his bed and raised it into more of a sitting position.

"We can see that," Eric said.

Callen glanced at his nightstand and saw the stuffed Snoopy sitting there. "Thanks," he said, smiling. One thing he knew, when he was injured, his team was really good about bringing him things and letting him know they cared. It was a far cry from when he'd been in the hospital as a child. He'd had no visitors that he could remember and if it wasn't for some kind-hearted medical personnel, would have had no one to show him the tiniest bit of caring.

"You're welcome," Eric and Nell said in unison. "We brought you a shake too." Nell handed it to him. "We can get you whatever else you might like."

Callen took the shake gratefully. "This is perfect. Thank you." He took a sip and sighed in satisfaction. His appetite was definitely returning and this was a perfect topper to dinner that night. He hadn't eaten much because of the large lunch he'd had, but had eaten half of a grilled cheese sandwich and some Jello. The french fries that had accompanied it, hadn't appealed to him. He'd eaten one, which had been cold and somewhat soggy, and that had been more than enough for him.

The two visited for a little over an hour and were just about to head off when Sam stepped into the room, looking clean and well rested. "Hey, Sam," Nell said, smiling at him. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Nell, Eric," Sam greeted them. "Good to see you two."

"Good to see you too, Sam," Eric said. "Although Callen led us to believe you'd gone home for the night."

"Sorry, G," Sam said, grinning at his partner. "Guess you're stuck with me here for another night." He wasn't quite sure why he was so hesitant to leave his partner alone. There was a part of him, that was afraid Bart could somehow escape. Even though he knew the likelihood of such a thing happening was miniscule, he knew he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he left Callen alone and vulnerable.

"Thanks, Sam," Callen said. He knew Sam staying with him was entirely unnecessary, but it showed him just how much his friend cared about him and he wasn't really inclined to chase him away.

"We're heading out," Nell said. "We've got a pretty high tech case we're working on so we'll be getting an early start."

"Yeah?" Callen asked, his interest peaked. "What's it all about?"

"No shop talk," Hetty said, effectively putting an end to that topic of conversation. There's another team working on this case so no need for you to be worrying your heads about it. I'm going to walk out with the two of you. Good night, Mr. Hanna, Mr. Callen. Have a very good night."

"Good night, Hetty," Callen said as Sam echoed him.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Hetty said as she headed out the door with Eric and Nell.

xxxxx

Deeks was watching the Lakers on t.v. and he could feel Kensi's eyes on him. "What is it?" he asked, turning down the volume and facing her.

"Nothing," Kensi said with a shake of her head.

"Come on, Kens...it's obviously something," Deeks said.

"It's just what you said earlier to Nell…"

Deeks gazed back at Kensi, confusion in his eyes. "What did I say?"

"About it being easier said than done putting what happened past us."

"Come on, Kens...You can't say you've put it all behind you either," Deeks said. "What happened to us...it was a lot. You can't just wrap it up in a box and put it away."

Kensi sighed. "I guess that's true, but...I just had a feeling you're still upset over what you had to do to me."

Deeks hesitated for a few moments, trying to think of exactly what he wanted to say. "Kensi...you're the most important person in the world to me. I love you more than anything. I would never, ever want to hurt you. For me to have been forced to do so, even if it wasn't my fault, it isn't something I can just forget. I'm trying to come to terms with it, and it gets a little easier to deal with each day, but, it's still going to take some time."

Kensi got up from the reclining chair and curled up next to Deeks on his bed, wrapping her arms around him. "I understand," she said softly. "There are things I'm going to have a hard time getting over as well...I guess we just need to do the best we can with what happened and be there for each other when we need to be."

Deeks nodded. "That sounds like a really good plan, Kens...I know there's no one I'd rather work through this with than you. I love you so much."

"And I love you too."


	48. Chapter 48

_Thank you so much to those of you still reading and commenting on this story. It is very much appreciated. At least I'm doing better on updating. As for this chapter… Umm I really didn't intend for it to go this way. It just kind of happened. We're still near the end, just not quite as quickly as I had thought. It will still be very soon though ;)_

xxxxx

"You all set to go home?" Dr. Bolton asked Deeks, a faint smile on the usually serious face of the doctor.

"Really? You're releasing me?" Deeks had been hopeful, but he'd kept thinking something was going to pop up to screw things up for him. "You hear that, Kens? I am outta here!"

Kensi smiled at his exuberance but turned her attention to the doctor. "Does he have any special instructions for going home?"

Dr. Bolton nodded. "Yes, I'll have all his instructions and prescriptions included with his discharge papers. I hope you understand the importance of taking it easy," he said to Deeks. "If you don't, you'll end up back here and the recovery will be even longer next time around."

"I understand," Deeks said, forcing himself to appear serious. "I'll be the perfect patient."

Kensi rolled her eyes as the doctor wished Deeks luck and went to go arrange for his discharge.

"You excited?" Deeks asked, grinning at Kensi.

"I'm happy we're going home," Kensi admitted. "But Deeks, please tone it down if we're going to see Callen before we leave. You don't want to make him feel bad that he's still in here."

"Come on, baby...I know better than that," Deeks said. "I have a good idea how he's feeling. I'm certainly not going to rub it in. What kind of a friend would I be if I did that?"

"I know, of course you wouldn't do that," Kensi said. "I just hope they spring him from this place soon, as well. Somehow, I don't think he'll take too kindly to a prolonged hospital stay."

"Well, I get that," Deeks said. "It isn't something I'd like very much either. In any case, I'm going to get ready to leave so we can just head out as soon as they bring in my discharge papers.

"That sounds like a plan," Kensi said happily.

xxxxx

Sam's eyes were on his partner as Callen shifted about fretfully on his bed, mumbling something about lost children and guns. There was a sheen of perspiration covering his face which had Sam worried. He was about to feel his partner's forehead when Dr. Carlisle came into the room.

"How's he doing today?" the doctor asked as he listened to Callen's heart through his stethoscope.

Sam shrugged unhappily. "I don't think very well. Hopefully, I'm wrong."

"I'll be right back. I want to get his temperature."

Dr. Carlisle left the room and came back a few minutes later. "Mr. Callen? Can you wake up for me?" He gently patted Callen's shoulder and he finally opened his eyes although it was obviously a struggle.

"What?" Callen asked listlessly.

"I just want to get your temperature. Can you put this under your tongue for me?" Callen did as the doctor requested, not really paying him much mind as Sam looked on anxiously.

"How high?" Sam asked when the doctor removed the thermometer from Callen's mouth.

"104." Dr. Carlisle said, appearing discouraged by this latest turn of events. I'll have the nurses keep an especially close eye on him today and see if they get his temperature down. This is the reason I'm going to have to wait until he's totally stable before he's released. The unpredictability of the poison he was given makes his case a very difficult one."

Sam nodded and looked at Callen who had already drifted back to sleep. He could feel the butterflies bouncing around inside his stomach, once again worried about the state of G's health.

xxxxx

"Hey Sam, what are you doing out here?" Deeks asked, a smile on his face as Kensi pushed his wheelchair. He'd agreed to be taken out of the hospital in the wheelchair when Kensi had threatened to have Hetty intervene. "Callen finally kick you out?"

Sam shook his head, his expression seriously. "He's getting a sponge bath...I think they're trying to cool him down."

"Cool him down? Why?" Kensi asked, her expression mirroring Sam's. "Is he running a fever again?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, a high one...104." He shook his head, looking discouraged. "I just...I don't understand. He was doing so well yesterday and now…" He sighed. "I just don't understand…"

Kensi went to Sam and wrapped her arms around him in a comforting embrace. "It's probably just a temporary setback, Sam. He's going to be okay." She needed to believe that. She couldn't let herself believe anything differently. "We'll stay here with you." She looked at Deeks who quickly nodded his assent.

Sam looked at Deeks who was dressed and ready to go and shook his head. "Hetty will be here soon. You need to go home. I'll keep you posted about his condition. The two of you hanging here all day isn't going to do anyone any good."

"I think we should stay," Kensi said. "Or I can bring Deeks home and come back."

"No. The two of you should go home and get yourselves settled. It's the least you deserve after all you've gone through. I'll call you as soon as there's any change."

"Alright," Kensi finally agreed, still appearing reluctant. "Promise you'll call if you need anything at all or if you want me to come back…"

"I will, Kens...I promise." Sam patted Deeks shoulder and smiled at him. "I'm glad you're going home, man...Don't overdo it. Get some rest."

"Are you sure you don't want us to stay?" Deeks asked, looking as reluctant as Kensi to be leaving Sam alone.

"I'm sure. I'd feel better if you go home, really," Sam insisted.

"Okay...keep us posted."

"I will."

xxxxx

Deeks sat on the sofa patting Monty who had his head contentedly resting on Deeks' thigh. "I've got to say...it feels really good to be home."

Kensi handed him a cold bottle of water and settled down next to him. "I think the elves got into our refrigerator. They took away all the bad spoiled things and replaced them with some delicious-looking fresh foods."

"Hetty?" Deeks asked.

"Hetty. She really does take good care of us."

"Yeah...she really does. She's a nice little woman..."' Deeks leaned his head back against the top of the sofa, allowing his eyes to close.

"Deeks? Honey? Why don't you go lie down in bed? You'll be more comfortable there."

"I'm good here," he murmured sleepily.

"No, come on sleepyhead, get up." Kensi stood up and reached for Deeks' hand, helping him up from the sofa. "Come on. I'll lie down with you." She patted her pocket to make sure she had her cell phone in case Sam called.

"Okay...whatever you say, Fern." Deeks obediently allowed Kensi to lead him into the bedroom, surprised by how exhausted he felt. He laid down and drifted off to sleep almost immediately as Kensi covered him with the comforter.

xxxxx

"I wish we would stop meeting like this, Mr. Hanna." Hetty said quietly as she stepped into Callen's room and sat down in one of the chairs by his bed. "Not that I don't enjoy seeing you, but I'd prefer a different setting, perhaps a nice restaurant." She looked at Callen, her eyes filled with worry. "Has there been any change?"

"No," Sam answered as he rubbed his hand over his face in frustration. "I just don't get it. He was doing so well yesterday. I thought he had turned the corner."

"I thought so too. Nasty concoction he was given. I'll never forgive Bartholomew for what he put the four of you through. I never could have imagined the extent of his evilness."

"You do know this isn't on you, Hetty," Sam said, looking at the older woman intently. "In no way is any of this your fault."

"If it wasn't for me, he would have never focused on any of you. Unfortunately, that is on me, Sam."

Sam shook his head. You've told us that we're not responsible for the actions of others. That goes for you too, Hetty. It's not exclusive to the rest of us."

"That may be true," Hetty said, her eyes sad as they focused on her boy who was murmuring something unintelligible and moving about restlessly in his sleep. "But somehow that doesn't help right now...it doesn't help at all…"

xxxxx

Kensi pulled out some fresh rolls and deli meats from the refrigerator and made sandwiches for her and Deeks for lunch. She grabbed two sodas, a bag of chips and brought everything into the bedroom. She placed everything on the bed and then stretched out next to Deeks. "Time to wake up, sleeping beauty," she said, placing a kiss on his lips. "Time to eat. I'm not going to let you waste away to nothing on my watch."

Deeks slowly opened his eyes and looked at Kensi drowsily. "It's already lunchtime? I didn't realize how tired I was, I guess."

"You're still recovering, sweetheart," Kensi said. "You need to take the time to heal properly."

"Thanks," said Deeks as he took the sandwich which Kensi handed him. "Speaking of recovery, any word on Callen?"

Kensi shook her head. "No and it's worrying me. I wish Sam would let us know what's going on."

"I don't think there's anything to tell us or he would have," Deeks said as he took a small bite of his sandwich. "You can always call him."

"No, I guess I'll wait a while longer. I don't want to bother him."

"I don't think you're a bother," Deeks said.

"I'll wait a little longer before I call or maybe I'll just send a text." Kensi picked at a couple of chips and then turned her attention to Deeks. "How are you feeling? Is there anything I can get for you?"

Deeks shook his head. "I think you've covered everything nicely. I appreciate you playing nurse for me."

"It's the least you deserved. I'm just glad you're okay."

The two smiled at each other and proceeded to eat their lunch.

xxxxx

The first thing Callen realized as he began to awaken was that he was hot, sweaty and his head was aching badly. He opened his eyes and saw Hetty sitting beside him looking very concerned. "Can I have some water?" he asked as he flung the lightweight blanket from his body.

"Yes, of course." Hetty poured him some fresh ice water from the pitcher on his bedside table and put the straw into his mouth.

Callen took a couple of sips of water and then turned his head away. "Thanks."

"Are you feeling any better?" Hetty asked, knowing in her heart that he wasn't. His cheeks were flushed and he looked very uncomfortable.

"I'm fine," he answered as he put his fingers to his forehead and tried to massage the pain away.

"Why don't I get you a cool cloth?" Hetty suggested, wanting to do anything she could to help him feel more comfortable. She went off to get a clean washcloth then proceeded to fill the plastic basin with cold water. She dipped the cloth into the water and folded it into a compress then placed it on his forehead.

"Thanks, Hetty...that feels really good," Callen said as the cool cloth helped to ease some of his pain.

At that moment, Dr. Carlisle came into the room. "Good, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"Really hot and I have a bad headache."

"Okay, let me get your temperature, if you don't mind."

Callen actually did mind. He was sick and tired of all of this, of feeling okay one day, then feeling like crap the next. He just wanted to feel better and be able to go home. He didn't say any of that though. He put the thermometer under his tongue without complaint.

"What is it?" Hetty asked anxiously when Dr. Carlisle removed the thermometer from Callen's mouth.

"103. Still high, but we're trending downward which is good. Can I get you anything?" he asked Callen.

"Something for my head?"

Dr. Carlisle looked at Callen's chart and nodded. "You're about due to receive some more Tylenol. I'll have a nurse bring you in some and I'll send in an aide to change your sheets andd bring you a fresh johnny. That should help you feel a bit more comfortable."

Callen nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." The doctor looked at Callen kindly. "I can't imagine how frustrated you are with all of this, but just try to stay positive. I have a good feeling we're going to get a handle on this and you'll be feeling better really soon."

Callen didn't say anything until the doctor had left then he turned to Hetty, looking discouraged. "I'll feel better for a day and then I'll just be worse the next day."

"I know it seems like that," Hetty said sympathetically, "but I believe once you've turned the corner this time, it will be for good." Of course, she had nothing to base that on, but she could see how beaten down he looked and wanted to try to keep his spirits up if she could.

"Where's Sam?" Callen asked, registering for the first time that his friend wasn't there. "Did he go home?"

"I sent him out to get some dinner," Hetty said. "He should be back soon."

"He can go home if he wants to," Callen said disheartedly. "Both of you can…"

"Don't be silly," Hetty said. She didn't like seeing him like this. She wished she could throttle Bartholomew within an inch of his life for what he had done. "Why don't you close your eyes until the nurse comes. Just rest, Grisha...it's the best thing for you."

Callen nodded and allowed his eyes to close, grateful to have Hetty there with him. At least he took comfort in the fact that whatever was going to happen to him, at least he wasn't facing it alone.

xxxxx

 _I know, I know...I have issues. I got stuck though and this is just what happened lol. I really do feel bad for him :)_


	49. Chapter 49

Well, this one is FINALLY beginning to wind down (really this time lol) I really appreciate those of you who have stuck through this, especially with all my ups and downs. Thanks so much :)

xxxxx

Callen slept fitfully through the night with Sam and Hetty keeping vigil at his bedside. "Mama? Mama please don't leave me. Please don't die." His voice was tremulous, sounding on the verge of tears.

"Shhh, shhh Grisha, everything's alright." Hetty gently stroked his head until he calmed down. Then she turned her head towards Sam. "I hate when this happens. It always makes me feel so helpless. It just breaks my heart."

"It happens often?" Sam asked.

"He's always had nightmares on and off, since he was a boy, even before he remembered what happened to his mother."

Sam nodded sadly. He could well imagine Callen had a wealth of subject matter on which his nightmares had been based on. Not for the first time, he wished things had been different for his friend.

The night dragged on slowly with neither Hetty or Sam getting much sleep. "Hetty, you should go home," Sam said, shortly after dawn. "G wouldn't want you to exhaust yourself. Go home and I'll call you as soon as there's some change. At the very least, rest for a few hours."

"I could say the exact same thing to you, Mr. Hanna."

Sam stared back at Hetty, realizing she was not about to leave Callen any more than he was.

Finally, at a little after 8 a.m., Callen slowly opened his eyes and rewarded Hetty with a sleepy smile.

"Well, it's good to have you awake again." Hetty placed her small hand gently on his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief at the noticeable different she felt. "You've been asleep for quite a long time. Are you feeling better?"

Callen mentally took an inventory of his symptoms and nodded. "I am...my headache is gone." He really hoped it was gone for good this time. He was getting very tired of all the yo-yo symptoms that he was experiencing. The headaches and other symptoms were brutal.

"You need anything?" Sam asked. Like Hetty, he was relieved to see his friend awake and alert once again.

Callen shook his head. "No thanks. I'm good."

"You may want to think about having a bit of breakfast," Hetty suggested. "It's been a while since you've eaten."

"Sure, Hetty. Maybe just some toast." He really had no appetite, but he knew how concerned she was about him and didn't want to add to her worries.

"I'll ring the nurses station. I'm sure they can have someone bring you something," Hetty said.

There was silence for a short time and then Callen, in danger of drifting off again, forced himself to be more alert. "Did Deeks go home?"

"He went home yesterday," Sam replied. "He and Kensi were very worried about you. I should let them know you're doing better."

"Perhaps you should wait a little while, Mr. Hanna. It's still relatively early. They may be sleeping in this morning."

"Yeah… maybe you're right." There was silence once again with Callen appearing very drowsy, and neither Hetty nor Sam wanting to disturb him.

The silence was broken when a nurse came into the room. "How are you feeling today?" she asked, smiling brightly as she placed a blood pressure cuff on Callen's arm. "It's good to see those pretty blue eyes of yours open."

"I'm feeling better."

"That's good to hear. Can I get your temperature?" She placed the thermometer under Callen's tongue and looked pleased when she got the reading. "98.7. I'd say that's a tremendous improvement."

"That's really good, G." Sam said.

"Dr. Carlisle will be very glad to hear this," the nurse said as she prepared to leave the room. "He's doing rounds a bit later than usual today but should be in at some point this morning. I noticed that you buzzed the front desk. Is there something I can get you?"

"I'm actually the one who rang," Hetty informed the nurse. "I was wondering if he could get some toast?"

"Of course," the nurse said, smiling. "Is there anything else you'd like to go with it? Some eggs or maybe some juice?"

"Sure, eggs and orange juice sound good," Callen said. He had wanted to say no, but he had seen the hopeful look in Hetty's eyes when she mentioned the eggs and didn't have the heart to refuse. He'd eat a decent breakfast and everyone would be happy.

xxxxx

"Hello?" Kensi answered the phone almost immediately, trying not to wake Deeks, but his blue eyes opened the moment her cell phone rang. "How is he?" Kensi listened to Sam, then smiled, her gaze meeting Deeks'. That's really good news, Sam. Tell him we're thinking of him and that we love him. Okay, bye."

"That definitely sounded positive." Deeks grinned as Kensi snuggled up next to him in their bed.

"Callen's temperature is back to normal. I was so worried, Deeks. Hopefully, this time he'll really start to get better."

"Let's hope so." Deeks yawned, and allowed his eyes to close, still sleepy.

"How are you feeling today?" Kensi rested her head on Deeks' chest, tempted to get back to sleep but knowing she needed to get up and try to get herself situated back to regular everyday life.

"I'm good, baby. You don't need to be worrying about me.

"I'm always going to worry about you." She forced herself to sit up and looked down at her fiance. "Can I make you some breakfast?"

Deeks' eyes opened part way and he squinted at Kensi. "Toast?"

"You don't think I can make anything more than toast?" she asked, looking insulted.

"I guess you can make oatmeal or cereal...do we have any cereal?"

"There are a couple of omelets in the refrigerator," Kensi said.

"Oh okay...an omelet sounds really good."

Kensi kissed Deeks. "One omelet coming up. Hetty even left notes taped to each dish with instructions on how to heat them."

"She positively spoils us."

"She does." Kensi nodded in agreement as she pointed towards the nightstand which had his prescription on top of it with a bottle of water. "Don't forget to take your antibiotic, okay?"

"Yes dear," Deeks said, grinning at her.

Kensi smiled back at him and headed off into the kitchen.

xxxxx

The next couple of days went well for Callen. His blood counts were almost back to normal, he was much more awake and alert and his appetite was slowly returning. He had also finally convinced both Hetty and Sam to sleep at home during the night, promising that he wouldn't attempt to leave the hospital. He was getting exceedingly bored though, his laptop, reading material and t.v. only providing periods of distraction. He was more than ready to go home.

"How are we doing today?" Dr. Carlisle asked as he entered Callen's room for morning rounds.

"Good, really good. I'm sure I'm well enough to go home today." It was what he said every day. So far it hadn't worked, but it couldn't hurt to try.

The doctor smiled in amusement. "Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Really?" Callen asked in surprise.

Dr. Carlisle nodded. "Barring any unforeseen complications, I see no reason why you can't go home. You're going to have to take it easy, but I don't think we'd be able to hold you here much longer anyway."

Callen smiled. Finally, he was well enough to go home and he'd be able to get his life back again. It had been a long uphill climb but it seemed as though this particular battle had come to an end. He was still feeling upbeat when Hetty came into his room late morning. He didn't even notice the grim look on her face. "Good morning, Hetty. How are you today?"

"I'm fine, Mr. Callen, but more importantly, how are you?"

"I'm really good, Hetty. Guess what? I'm getting out of here tomorrow."

"That's good news…" Hetty said with a sigh.

Callen looked at her closely, finally picking up on her mood. "You don't look like it's very good news...What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"No, no. I'm sorry. Nothing's happened. It's just… well, Bartholomew is about to be released as well. He'll be getting transferred back to prison the day after tomorrow."

"Oh." Callen took a few moments to digest that. His first thoughts being that Bart hadn't gotten what he deserved, not even a fraction of what he deserved.

"Oh don't look so down," Hetty said. "The important thing is that you'll be going home. I don't suppose you'd consider spending a day or two with me at Dovecote?"

Callen nodded. "Sure. Hetty. Whatever you'd like."

"Really?" Hetty looked at him in surprise, unsure if she had even understood his response or perhaps he had misunderstood her question. You'll come to Dovecote?"

"Yes, Hetty," Callen said, grinning. "I will, just as long as you promise not to overdo it on the coddling."

"Well, I will do my best," Hetty said, smiling fondly at him. "You will need to allow me just a little bit of taking care of you though. You've been through a lot."

"Okay, just a little."

xxxxx

The rest of the day was a good one. Sam, Kensi and Deeks, and Eric and Nell all came in to visit Callen so he didn't have to come up with ways to entertain himself. It wasn't until that evening, when Kensi and Sam had gone off to get dinner, that he found his thoughts beginning to drift back towards Bart.

"What's going on with you, Callen?" Deeks asked. "You look about a million miles away."

"Maybe not that far," Callen said. "I was just thinking about Bart."

Deeks nodded. "Yeah...it's pretty hard to forget about that guy."

"I just hate that he's getting away with everything he did to us Scott-free."

"Not quite Scott-free, man. He'll be going back to prison."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Callen said dejectedly.

"I know it sucks, but…"

At that moment, Kensi and Sam came back into the room, carrying bags of food and drinks. Deeks' words died on his lips and they dug into their dinner, but Callen couldn't seem to get his mind off Bart. He picked at his food, not feeling very hungry. Finally though, the inkling of an idea began to form in his head.

"G? Something wrong with your food?" Sam asked, a bit worried as he looked at his friend. He really hoped Callen would continue to eat well when he got out of the hospital. Of course, Hetty would look after him while he was staying with her, but then he'd be home on his own.

"No, it's good," Callen said as he took a bite of pot roast.

"He's thinking about Bart getting released from the hospital," Deeks explained.

"Actually, I may have a plan," Callen said, smiling thoughtfully as he began working the details out in his head. "You guys are going to have to help carry it out though."

"You know we'll do whatever you need," Kensi said.

"What she said," Deeks said. "There's no love lost between me and Bart. That's for sure."

"You know you don't even need to ask, buddy," Sam said, looking at his partner warmly. "Whatever it is, you've got it."

"Don't worry, Sam," Callen said, his eyes sparkling and a smirk on his lips. "I'm pretty sure you're going to like this."


	50. Chapter 50

_Thanks to all of you who read and commented about the last chapter. Here we are at Chapter 50. I'm really sorry, but Bart isn't going to get his comeuppance in this chapter, but next one for sure. This is one of those transitional chapters I sometimes get carried away with. I hope you still are still able to enjoy it :)_

xxxxx

"Ready to blow this popsicle stand, G?" Sam asked as he entered his partner's hospital room, pushing an empty wheelchair. Callen was sitting on the edge of his bed, wearing too loose jeans and a blue plaid shirt. Sam couldn't help but note the visible weight his friend had lost as well as the paleness and gauntness of his face. Oh well, the most important thing was that he was alive. Spending some time with Hetty at Dovecote would hopefully put some color back in G's cheeks and some weight on his bones.

"Here, I brought you a jacket," Sam said, handing it to his friend. "It's unseasonably cold out today."

"This isn't one of my jackets," Callen said, looking over the blue jacket with a tag hanging off the sleeve.

"I bought it for you. Call it a coming home gift."

"I can pay you for it."

Sam shook his head. "Come on buddy, it's no big deal. Now put it on and let's get out of here. Unless you've grown fond of this place?"

Callen shook his head as he took the tag off the jacket, slowly put it on and zippered it up. He then took a seat in the wheelchair, deciding not to even kick up a fuss. "Okay, Sam. I'm ready. Let's go home."

xxxxx

"Welcome home, Mr. Callen," Hetty said as Sam and Callen stepped into the foyer of Dovecote. "Come in and sit down."

Callen did as Hetty asked. He walked into the living room and carefully sat down on the sofa. Just the short ride from the hospital and the small amount of walking he had done had exhausted him.

"Can I get you some tea?" Hetty asked as Sam sat down beside his partner, "or perhaps something a bit stronger?" She knew he wasn't on any more medicines. His main goal now was to eat well, rest and work towards regaining his strength and good health.

"Tea is fine, Hetty," Callen replied.

"Do you need some help?" Sam asked.

"No, no, Mr. Hanna," Hetty said with a smile. "You stay here and keep your partner company. I'll be back in a jiffy." She then walked quickly out of the room.

"You good?" Sam asked, looking at his partner with concern. Callen hadn't said a word during the ride from the hospital and Sam couldn't help but wonder if something was going on with him that he was keeping close to the vest. Maybe he wasn't doing as well as everyone thought.

Callen nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine, Sam. Just glad to finally be out of the hospital."

"If you don't mind me saying so, G. You don't really seem all that glad…"

"What?" Callen gazed back at Sam, looking upset. "Of course, I'm glad, Sam. You think I want to be in the hospital?"

"No, I'm sorry, G, " Sam said, shaking his head. "Of course you're happy to be out of there."

At that moment, Hetty came back into the living room, carrying a tea tray with three cups of tea and a plate full of assorted cookies. "Here we are," she said, ignoring the tension in the room. "This will make you feel much better."

"Thank you, Hetty," Callen said, picking up one of the cups and taking a sip. "Mmm… this is really good, a new blend?"

Hetty nodded and smiled as she sat beside Callen, leaving him in the middle between her and Sam. "It is. I got it from Pierre Leblanc, a wonderful man and exceptional tea vendor I know. He gets tea from all over the world and always notifies me when he has new stock. This is one of my favorites."

"It is good," Sam said, taking a sip. In all honesty, he wasn't exactly a tea lover, but at this point, he just wanted to keep his partner calm and happy. They'd all been through a lot but he knew G had gone through the most and he just wanted him to recover fully.

They sat quietly after drinking their tea and eating a few cookies, Sam got to his feet. "I think I'm going to get going," he said. "Get some rest, buddy."

Callen nodded. "Thanks for picking me up, today, Sam."

"Let me walk you to the door," Hetty said as she stood up as well. She and Sam then walked to the front door which Sam opened before turning back to Hetty.

"Are you sure this dinner tonight is a good idea?" he asked. "G doesn't exactly seem like he's in the best of moods."

"I think he's just overtired, Sam," Hetty said. "I'll make sure he gets some rest today. "I think tonight will be fine. Plus, we need to finalize our plans for tomorrow."

Sam nodded. "Okay, Hetty. Whatever you think is best."

"Don't worry about your partner. I'll take very good care of him." She closed the door behind Sam and then walked back into the living room where Callen was already sound asleep on the sofa. "You have been through a rough patch haven't you." Hetty reached for the light blanket on top of the sofa, unfolded it and gently draped it over Callen. "Don't you worry, I'm going to have you feeling better in no time."

xxxxx

Callen slept for a little over two hours. When he awoke, it took him a few seconds to gain his bearings and realize where he was. He rubbed his eyes and once he was fully awake, he pushed the blanket aside and slowly got to his feet. He then carefully refolded the blanket and put it back on top of the sofa. He could smell something cooking in the kitchen and immediately recognized it as Hetty's homemade chicken soup. "You're determined to spoil me now that I'm here, aren't you," he said as he walked out into the kitchen.

"Well, I must say, you're looking better." Hetty stepped back from the stove to take a look at him. "I'm sorry if you disapprove, but yes, it's true. I think you deserve some spoiling and I'm determined to do so while you're here. Do you really mind?"

Callen thought for a moment then shook his head, a smile on his lips. "No, I don't mind, Hetty. I have to admit, it's kind of nice." She'd been the first person in his life to really spoil him at all and it brought him back to simpler days, when he'd first moved in with her and escaped the horrors of the foster care system for good.

"Good," Hetty said, smiling back at him. "Now sit down and I'll bring you some soup."

He obediently did as she said and she brought over a bowl of soup for him along with some crackers. She then brought another bowl over and sat down across from him. "So, how are you feeling?"

"I'm definitely feeling better," he said, after contentedly swallowing the first mouthful of soup. It had plenty of chicken and vegetables and was one of his favorites. It had been ever since the first time Hetty had served it to him when he'd been sick as a boy. "I'm afraid I was kind of a grouch to Sam earlier though."

"I'm sure he understands," Hetty said. "You've been through a lot. He knows that."

"I'm not the only one though," he said as he took some crackers and crumbled them into the soup. "The whole team went through a lot, not just me."

"And I can't tell you how sorry I am about all of it," Hetty said, looking said. "I can never apologize enough for having brought Bart into your life."

"Come on, Hetty. You couldn't have known what a whacko he was."

"No, but he didn't treat you very nicely when you were a boy, either."

Callen nodded. "I didn't even remember him at first, but he was just a jerk. I never really thought anything about him after we met. Please don't beat yourself up over this. It wasn't your fault. None of us blame you and we don't want you to blame yourself."

Hetty forced a smile and nodded. "I'll try my best."

"Try hard," Callen said, giving her a heartfelt look before returning to his lunch.

xxxxx

"I hope G's in a better mood this evening," Sam said as he, Kensi and Deeks waited for someone to come to the door. "He definitely wasn't this morning."

"Maybe he was just tired," Kensi said.

"I think it's going to take a while for him to be back to normal," Deeks stated.

"I know you're right," Sam said, discouraged. "I guess I just want my partner back."

"You'll get him back," Kensi said. "Just give it a little time."

The door opened and Callen greeted his friends with a smile. "Hi guys, come on in."

"Hey Callen," Deeks spoke first as they followed him into the house. "How are you? You're looking good."

"Thanks. You look pretty good, yourself."

He led them into the living room where a platter of cheese and crackers had been placed on the coffee table. "Make yourselves comfortable. Dinner won't be ready for a bit. Do you want something to drink?"

They all shook their heads, not wanting to put Callen to any trouble. "You're looking better, G," Sam said as he sat down.

"I'm feeling better." Callen shot his partner an apologetic look. "Sorry about earlier today. I was just overtired. I pretty much conked out right when you left."

"It's no problem. I'm just glad you're doing better."

At that moment, Hetty came into the room. "So nice to see you all here together out of the hospital. How are you feeling, Mr. Deeks?"

"I'm good, Hetty," Deeks answered with a smile. "Doing much better."

"Good, good." Hetty nodded approvingly. "Dinner will be ready shortly. I also have a very fine wine which will be accompanying our meal. I think it will be quite a treat for all of you."

The group slipped into easy conversation which continued as they made their way into the dining room for dinner. Hetty had prepared a garden salad, prime rib, au gratin potatoes, green bean almondine, and hot dinner rolls.

"Wow, Hetty, you really outdid yourself," Kensi said, admiring the delicious-looking spread on the table.

"I'm glad you approve, Miss Blye, now please, all of you sit down. We don't want this to get cold."

The team seated themselves around the table and began eating the delicious meal which Hetty had prepared. Except for the many compliments bestowed upon her, the conversation was at a minimum until they had all eaten their fill.

"I haven't had a meal like that in a long time," Deeks said, patting his stomach. "Food at its finest."

"It was really good, Hetty," Callen said. "Thank you so much."

Sam and Kensi echoed their praise.

"Hetty, why don't you go relax in the dining room. Deeks and I can do clean up duty," Sam said as he got to his feed. Deeks nodded in agreement.

Hetty was about to protest, but then acquiesced. "If you insist, gentlemen. Thank you very much. Mr. Callen, Miss Blye, why don't you join me in the living room. We can rest our stomachs a bit before dessert."

xxxxx

After Sam and Deeks finished clean up duty, they joined the others in the living room and Hetty brought out some decadent chocolate mousse parfaits.

"I don't think I can eat another bite," Callen said, after finishing about half of his. It was the most he had eaten in quite some time and he was afraid he had overdone it.

"Everything was so delicious, Hetty," Kensi said. "I can't remember when I've had a nicer meal."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it dear," Hetty said, pleased by how the evening had gone.

Sam looked over at his partner and couldn't help but notice that his eyelids appeared heavy. He knew it had been a long day for him. "So," he began looking at each member of his team. "Are we all clear about tomorrow?" Everyone nodded.

"I still wish he was going to get all of what he deserved," Deeks said, obviously still angry about what had happened to them.

"We all do, Mr. Deeks," Hetty said, "but if we at least give him a taste of his own medicine, I think it will give us some measure of satisfaction."

Deeks nodded. "You're right, Hetty. This will have to do."

"I think it's time we all got some rest then," Sam said. "Hetty, thank you for a wonderful evening."

"You're very welcome, Mr. Hanna," Hetty said.

Deeks and Kensi followed Sam's lead as well and also stood up and echoed his words of thanks. "So...we'll see you tomorrow morning?" Deeks asked.

"We'll see you then," Hetty said. She and Callen then accompanied the others to the front door and wished them a good night.

"Well, I think we should get some sleep," Hetty said, looking up at Callen, noting his obvious fatigue.

Callen nodded. "I have to admit I'm pretty tired. Good night, Hetty. Thank you for everything you did today."

"No thanks necessary, my dear boy," Hetty said, smiling at him. "Sleep well. Tomorrow is going to be a big day."


End file.
